"A Week of Twilight": More vampire stories

The "Twilight" series have quickly become some of the most successful vampire stories of all time, and the upcoming film should only add to that. But they are far from the first. Here's a list of some of the other best vampire-related stories I've come across:

• Interview With The Vampire (novel and film) - Before Stephenie Meyer, Anne Rice was the original queen of the damned. Her "Vampire Chronicles" series set the bar for future vampire stories, and "Interview..." is the most famous of them all. The confessional story style and the treatment of vampirism as an unwanted curse to the infected, along with viewing the vampire as a sympathetic/romantic character rather than just a villian, changed the way vampires were viewed in popular culture and laid the groundwork for series like "Twilight." And Lestat, the vampire anti-hero of the series (played by Tom Cruise in the film), could be an ancient ancestor to Edward Cullen, though Lestat can be a little/lot more wicked at times. The novel is excellent and, in my opinion, the film is still the best vampire movie currently in existence.
• 13 Bullets (novel) - In this novel by David Wellington, Pennsylvania State Trooper Laura Caxton is recruited by FBI Special Deputy Jameson Arkeley to help him thwart a series of recent vampire attacks. Despite a few flaws (including a cliffhanger ending that actually made me angry when I read it), this story has a strong plot, very engaging characters, and a cinematic style that I think could easily translate into a good film. This is a different world than that of "Twilight" and "The Vampire Chronicles" in two major ways: 1) the world is aware of the existence of vampires, and 2) the vampires in this story are all evil, bloodthirsty and very, very ugly. "13 Bullets" is the first of a planned trilogy, so now is a good time to get into what is shaping up to be a great series. I still hate the ending though.
• Blood + (manga and anime series) - This series concerns Saya, a high school student who can't remember her past. One day she is confronted by a man named Hagi, who gives her a sword and tells her the truth about her past: she is the last true vampire, and is charged with defending humanity against an evil race called the Chiropterans. The animation in both versions are excellent (the manga in particular is beautiful to behold), and the story is an intriguing one that is carried out very well. A lot of blood is spilled in this series, but it's a vampire story, so it shouldn't come as a surprise. It's also a good place to start if you're thinking about getting into anime and/or manga.
• I Am Legend (novel) - If you've seen the most recent film version of this story that starred Will Smith, you might not be aware that the creatures in Richard Matheson's original novel were actually vampires, not zombies. Robert Neville is the last man on Earth who is somehow immune to a virus that has turned everyone else into bloodthirsty vampires. Holed up in Los Angeles (not New York, another change in the movie), he spends his days looking for a cure to the disease and his nights trying to survive against the creatures. While I did like the film, reading the book makes you wonder why they didn't just film the original version (and hopefully someone will someday).
• 30 Days Of Night (graphic novel) - A story about a group of vampires who travel to Barrow, Alaska, where the sun sets and doesn't rise for thirty days and wreak havoc on the town. The story is interesting, but the artwork makes it worth checking out; it's very dark and nightmarish (think "Silent Hill"). This series was made into a somewhat lackluster film last year, but whether you've seen it or not you should definitely check out the graphic novel.
• Here's a few more quick recommendations: Salem's Lot (novel) by Stephen King, Vampyr (film), Vampire Hunter D and Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust (anime), Nosferatu (film) and Shadow Of The Vampire (film), and, of course, the original Bram Stoker's Dracula (novel and a vast number of films of varying quality).

"A Week of Twilight": Meet the Cullens

With all this week being devoted to "Twilight," I suddenly realized that many of you probably are not familiar with the series and its characters. So, since I've already discussed the principle characters Bella Swan, Edward Cullen and Jacob Black, it only makes sense to introduce you to some of the other major characters...namely, Edward's extended family of fellow vampires. Introducing the Cullens...

(note: to make things easier on myself, I used the descriptions listed on the Twilight Wikipedia page, and despite the often questionable reliability of Wikipedia I can assure you that these descriptions are all accurate enough...although you might want to hold off reading these if you want to read the novels, as they contain some spoilers)

The seven of them all live together under the guise as being an adoptive family with some biological connections; in reality, they are related only by their conditions.

• Dr. Carlisle Cullen: The adoptive father of the Cullen children and husband of Esme Cullen. Born in London as the son of a Anglican pastor, he is around 360 years old and works as a doctor in Forks. After becoming a vampire, he spent hundreds of years resisting the smell of blood so that he could become a doctor. He changed Edward, Esme, Rosalie, and Emmett into vampires to save their lives.
• Esme Cullen: Carlisle's wife, who was found by Carlisle and changed into a vampire after a failed suicide attempt following the death of her baby. She is the mother figure of the Cullen family, and has a strong ability to love passionately.
• Alice Cullen (real name: Mary Alice Brandon Cullen): One of Edward's adoptive sisters. She is described as "pixie-like", and her movement is noted to be very graceful. Her special ability is seeing the future as soon as someone makes the decision to head down that particular path. This ability is very useful, as it gives the family forewarning to any dangers. However, she cannot see the future if werewolves become involved (they are immune to her power for unknown reasons). She is married to Jasper Hale, who is her soul-mate, and she loves Bella as if she were her own sister.
• Jasper Hale: One of Edward's adoptive brothers, and Alice's husband and soul-mate. He can sense and influence the emotions of people around him. He has the most trouble with the Cullens' "vegetarian" lifestyle, since he and Alice are the newest members of the family, and before joining them he spent almost a century living off human blood. He became a vampire sometime during the American Civil War. He was initially involved in vampire wars, creating new vampires and forming them into armies, until he met Alice and became a part of the Cullen family.
• Rosalie Lillian Hale: Edward's adoptive sister, who is self-absorbed and described as being the most beautiful person in the world. At first, she appears to play an antagonistic role in the story. She became a vampire when Carlisle saved her life after several men, including her fiancé, beat and raped her, leaving her to die. She is the wife and soul-mate of Emmett Cullen. Rosalie dislikes Bella because of Bella's willingness to give up her humanity for an eternal life as a vampire.
• Emmett Cullen: Edward's adoptive brother, and Rosalie's husband and soul-mate. As a human, Emmett went hiking and ran into a large grizzly bear. Provoked, the grizzly attacked and nearly killed him before Rosalie, who was hunting, interceded. She saved him and then carried him 100 miles to Carlisle, in hopes of saving his life by turning him into a vampire. He is extremely muscular, with dark curly hair and dimples.

"A Week of Twilight": Werewolves vs. Vampires!

For today's "Twilight" article I decided to explore the seemingly eternal battle between werewolves and vampires. One of the major plotlines in the series is the conflict between the werewolf and vampire species. According the books, werewolves are the natural enemies of the vampires, and come into being wherever vampires naturally occur as nature's means to balance things out. The idea of vampires and werewolves battling it out is nothing new; the "Underworld" films also tell this type of story (although in a less-brains/more action-oriented way). But where did this idea come from? Has it been around as long as the myths of these creatures have?
Apparently not. The earliest recorded stories actually link vampires and werewolves together; in fact, one of the most common beliefs instructed that werewolves who died would, if their bodies were not properly disposed of, be resurrected as vampires. Other cultures believed that some vampires chose to become werewolves, and some even consider the two beasts to be one and the same.
Believe it or not, the earliest record I could find of vampires and werewolves being enemies is taken from a popular pen-and-paper role playing game series called "Werewolf: The Apocalypse." "Werewolf..." was released by publisher White Wolf, which was born in 1991 (White Wolf also created the popular RPG "Vampire: The Masquerade"). After this came the "Underworld" movie series, which many "WTA" fans argue stole the idea. And then came "Twilight." So there you have it.
Honestly, can't we all just get along?

July 29, 2008 - DVD and CD new releases

Good morning. There's almost nothing to speak of for CD releases today, but there are some DVDs worth checking out.



DVD

• Harold & Kumar Escape From Guantanamo Bay - The sequel to "Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle." While boarding a flight to Amsterdam, stoners Harold and Kumar are mistaken for terrorists and are sent to the titular prison. Soon enough they escape and wacky hijinks ensue. This isn't as good as the first film, but still worth a look if you like this kind of comedy.
• Doomsday - When an epidemic destroys Scotland, the remaining survivors are walled off and develop their own anarchic society. This horror/action/dark comedy was directed by Neil Marshall, who also made the extremely creepy horror film "The Descent," and that makes this film a must-see for me.
• Shine A Light - Martin Scorsese's documentary/concert film about the Rolling Stones. If you still dig the Stones this is a film you'll want to see for sure.
• more: Stargate: Continuum, Surfwise, WarGames (25th Anniversary Edition), Dark City (Director's Cut), Witchblade: The Complete Series, Two Fat Ladies: The Complete Series, Freakazoid: Season 1, Avatar The Last Airbender Book 3: Fire Volume 4.

CD

• Lucy Woodward: "Is...Hot and Bothered (Barnes & Noble exclusive)" - The long-awaited second album by Woodward (who had a hit a number of years ago with "Dumb Girls") is a mix of rock-pop, jazz, and R&B. If you like pop music with a bite and some intelligence, this CD is worth checking out. The physical copy is only available at Barnes & Noble, but you can also buy it on iTunes.
• more: Sugarland: "Love On The Inside (standard edition)", Third Day: "Revelation."

"A Week of Twilight": Twilighters go crazy at Comic-Con

Hey again everybody. As you probably know by now, I'm writing everything Twilight-related this week. Although I have recently become a fan of the vampire series, for a while I have been doubting just how popular this series really was. Sure, I'd heard the comparisons to the Harry Potter juggernaut, but that could all just be hype. And I really doubted just how hyped people were for the upcoming film. But after hearing about the reaction the film's panel recieved at Comic-Con last Thursday I cannot deny it anymore: Twilight really is shaping up to become a cult phenomenon of Potter proportions.
Simply put, the panel was packed with thousands of fans who treated the cast, director Catherine Hardwicke and author Stephenie Meyer as if they were the Second Coming. There was screaming, crying, and when Robert Pattinson, the relatively unknown actor chosen to play vampire heartthrob Edward took the stage, something akin to rioting. According to interviews the mostly unknowns were surprised and kind of freaked out by it. Indeed, many members of media outlets covering the event claimed the had never seen a reaction like that at any previous Comic-Con.
I guess I'm going to have to re-evaluate my predictions for the film's success now.

"A Week of Twilight": What is Twilight?

Hello everyone; welcome to "A Week of Twilight," my first special edition of this blog. I figured I'd start things off with a quick explanation of what Twilight actually is.

Twilight is a series of young adult books told from the perspective of Isabella ("Bella") Swan, a 17-year-old girl who moves from Phoenix, AZ to the small town of Forks, WA. She comes to know the Cullen family, particulary Edward Cullen, the oldest son who Bella falls in love with. Eventually she discovers that they are actually a coven of vampires who have given up on human blood and are living in secret. The series' primary plot involves the ongoing relationship between Bella and Edward, and whether Edward will eventually agree to change Bella into another vampire (she wants it, he doesn't). She also has to contend with her feelings for her best friend Jacob Black, who undergoes a major change as the storyline develops. Other plot lines involve Bella being hunted by other less-friendly vampires, Edward running afoul of an ancient vampire sect known as the Volturi, and the strained peace between the Cullens and a local pack of werewolves, the natural enemies of vampires.

Three books in the series have been published so far: "Twilight," "New Moon" and "Eclipse." The fourth and final novel, "Breaking Dawn," will be released on Saturday, August 2. In addition, another novel called "Midnight Sun," which tells the events of "Twilight" from Edward Cullen's point of view, will be released in the future.

Okay, that's all I have time to write about now, but I'll post again later today describing Twilight's reception at Comic-Con this past week (hint: there was a lot of screaming).

Be thee warned; A Week of Twilight Approaches...

Yeah, I know that headline is really dumb, but so be it. Before I head off for Ludington this weekend I wanted to let everybody know that, in honor of the release of "Breaking Dawn" (the fourth and final novel in Stephenie Meyer's "Twilight Saga") next Saturday, I will be devoting the week leading up to it to news related to the popular vampire series. Tuesday's CD and DVD releases and Friday's New Movies list will still be posted, but I'll also post an extra Twilight-related article on these days as well. This'll all lead up to Friday when I will post my own personal recaps and reviews of "Twilight," "New Moon" and "Eclipse," the first three books in the series. Enjoy the weekend, and get ready for a very pale week...

-Matty G

What's new in theaters for the week of July 25, 2008

Good morning. Before I list today's releases, I wanted to mention that the 2-hour season finale of Doctor Who will be airing tonight at 9pm on the Sci-Fi Channel, so if you want to check it out now would be a good time (and Doctor Who always has a crazy, over-the-top finale). Obviously I should have tagged this onto yesterday's story, but no matter. Anyway, here are today's new releases:

Opening in Wide Release:

• "Step Brothers" - Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly star as middle aged men who still live with their parents who are forced to live together after their parents get married. Hilarity ensues. I wasn't a big fan of Blades of Glory and didn't even see Semi-Pro, but this film looks to be the best thing Ferrrell and friends have done since Anchorman. Just a warning though...from what I've heard, you see A LOT of Will Ferrell in this movie! Rated R.
• "The X-Files: I Want To Believe" - Years after the television series ended, special agents Fox Mulder and Dana Scully come back together to solve a rash of kidnappings. They are aided (or are they?) by a strange man who can see visions. The plot of this film is being kept under wraps like it's the next M. Night Shyamalan movie or something, but does anyone honestly care that much? For me, I'll have to hear what the reviews on this one are. Rated PG-13.

Opening in Selected Release:

• "American Teen" - This is a documentary about four very different teenagers from a small Indiana town. The film charts each of their journeys over the course of their senior year of high school. Despite being a documentary, this film has been compared to Juno and a more down-to-Earth version of The Hills. I have seen the trailer and I can't wait to see this movie. I really hate to wallow in cliches, but this could easily become this year's Juno/Little Miss Sunshine/Napoleon Dynamite. Required viewing if you can find this playing in a theater near you. Rated PG-13.
• "Boy A" - This British import tells the story of a young man who has just gotten out of prison. He gets a new identity and slowly begins to rebuild his life. Things go good for a while, but eventually an act of heroism brings the horrible crime of his youth back into the open. Looks kind of cool; one to look for on DVD. Rated R.
• "Brideshead Revisited" - This adaptation of Evelyn Waugh's classic novel focuses on the doomed love affair between Charles Ryder and Julia Flyte, and how Catholicism destroys both their relationship and their families. The trailer makes me think of Atonement minus the war storyline...and since I loved that film, this one intrigues me very much. Rated PG-13.
• "Man on Wire" - Documentary/biopic about the man who, on August 7th 1974, walked on a suspended wire between the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center. Looks to be an odd yet strangely moving film that tells an unbelievably interesting story. And seeing the Twin Towers again is also a moving experience. Definitely looks to be worth seeing. Rated PG-13.

Could Batman's next battle be against...Doctor Who???

Hey guys. I've got another interesting piece of news for ya tonight.

So now that the unbelievably massive success of "The Dark Knight" has been absorbed and reflected on, the new questions on everyone's mind are all about the next film in the franchise. Will Christopher Nolan return to direct? Will there even be any chance of it coming close to the success of "Dark Knight?" And, of course, who are the next villians that are going to arrive in Gotham City, and who will be playing them?

While I don't think there's any villian or actor that will be able to match Heath Ledger's Joker, one possible new addition to the series has got me intrigued. I recently came across an interview with David Tennant, the star of the british sci-fi series "Doctor Who," where he expressed a real interest in playing the Riddler in another installment. The Riddler was most notably played by Jim Carrey in "Batman Forever," but now that all the pre-"Begins" films seem to no longer count, I think Tennant would be a very interesting addition to the series. He's got the perfect balance between crazy and serious that defines the Riddler, and he's proven he can play evil (indeed, most American audiences would best recognize him as Voldemort's servant Barty Crouch Jr. in the film adaptation of "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire"). He would almost certainly bring some humor back into the series, but would it be too campy? There's also the fact that he's wholly British...but then again, so is about half the cast of these Batman films anyway (Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Gary Oldman, Heath Ledger [well, he's Australian, but close enough]).

Right now it's just an interest on Tennant's part...but I hope Chris Nolan and company take an interest as well.

Willow 2 - could it happen (and should it)?

If you're a child of the '80s like me, chances are you grew up with the movie "Willow." This 1988 fantasy film told the story of Willow Ufgood, a humble farmer who finds himself forced into a battle to save the world. Directed by Ron Howard and written by George Lucas, this film was a dud at the box office when released but has since become a cult favorite. I came across this film in my youth and immediately fell in love with it. Now that I'm an adult I can see that "Willow" is actually a huge rip-off of "The Hobbit" and "The Lord of the Rings," but I still harbor an embarrassingly sincere love for this movie (in part because, unlike Peter Jackson's "Ring" films, this movie features little people characters that are actually played by little people!). That being said, I've never really felt a sequel was necessary. But Warwick Davis, aka Mr. Willow himself, apparently does, because he recently stated in an interview that he would love to revisit the character in another movie ( it should be noted that Davis has gone on to become a very accomplished actor who has starred in dozens of films, including "Star Wars: Return Of The Jedi," "Ray" and multiple roles in the "Harry Potter" films, and has even opened an acting school for little people). Val Kilmer, who also starred in the film as a Madmartigan, an Aragorn-gone-crazy human who teams up with Willow, was asked his thoughts on the sequel but dodged the answer.
In truth, a sequel to the film already does exist: George Lucas collaborated with writer Chris Claremont on a now-forgotten trilogy of books called the "Chronicles Of The Shadow War" that are a direct sequel to "Willow." But trust me, these stories are best left forgotten (if you think people hate the Star Wars prequels, go online and just see how much venom the fanboys throw at this series!). But still, I am now intrigued at the idea of a real (and good) sequel to this classic film. But I have a few demands: 1) cast little people again, 2) come up with a new story that is not related to the crappy books or a rip-off of other famous fantasy properties, and finally 3) do not involve George Lucas in this project. In fact, it'd probably be best if no one told him about it.

July 22, 2008 - DVD and CD new releases

It's a slow week for new releases, so I've listed a couple that normally wouldn't make it.

DVDs

• Spaced: The Complete Series - Spaced is a British cult television series about a guy and girl who pretend to be a couple in order to move into a really nice flat. So why should you care? Because this show was the product of Simon Pegg, Nick Frost and Edgar Wright, the guys who would go on to make "Shaun of the Dead" and "Hot Fuzz."
• Robot Chicken: Star Wars - This is the second animated series Seth Green is a part of that has made a Star Wars parody. The difference: this series is still funny.
• L.A. Ink: Season 1 - Whether you are interested in watching how a popular tattoo shop works or just one of the many in love with Kat Von D (myself included), this DVD should make all your dreams come true (except Kat Von D still isn't going to date you in real life. Sorry.).
• more: 21, Comedy Central's TV Funhouse, Vampyr, Witchblade: The Complete Series.

CDs

• Nine Inch Nails: The Slip - This is the album Trent Reznor released for free online this year as a "thank you" to the fans. So why spend money on this version? Aside from owning the physical copy, the release also includes a bonus DVD.
• U2: Boy, October and War (Deluxe Editions) - Three of the seminal rock band's classic albums, each with a second disc filled with new bonus content.
• Paul Weller: 22 Dreams - The ninth (!) studio album from the former frontman of The Jam and The Style Council contains twenty-two tracks (!!) that explore many different music styles, while still blending into a cohesive whole. This is my favorite release of the week and a real find; be sure to check it out!
• more: Sugarland: Love On The Inside, Miley Cyrus: Breakout, David Bowie: Live Santa Monica '72, The X-Files: I Want to Believe (Score).

"The Dark Knight" - review

Let me get this out of the way now: I'm giving "The Dark Knight" a five out of five. I also recently gave "Hellboy II," another comic-book based movie, the same rating. These movies are wholly different from one another, yet they both succeed because they manage to transcend their genre and create new possibilities for what superhero films can aspire to be. Whereas "Hellboy II" delved into the realm of fantasy, "The Dark Knight" plays things very straight. In fact, some reviewers have compared this film to the epic crime dramas of respected autuers like Martin Scorsese and Francis Ford Coppolla. It's not hard to see why: this is a film about good men trying to defeat evil while keeping their moral center. "The Dark Knight" asks the question: can one hope to face evil without becoming evil?
The film opens with Batman (or "the bat-man" as many call him) now a well-known figure in Gotham City. His exploits gain so much attention that there are now copycats roaming around the city in homemade bat-suits toting guns. Although Batman has made an impact on the city by cleaning up mob crime, many people are unhappy with this vigilante who takes the law into his own hands. As all this is going on, a new figure arrives in Gotham seemingly out of nowhere: a strange character with a scarred face hidden under smeared clown make-up who calls himself the Joker. He meets with the crime syndicates in Gotham and persuades them to support his goal of killing Batman. But there is much more to this guy than meets the eye, and slowly but surely he gets the mob behind him as he pulls Gotham City into a stranglehold of fear and anarchy. He wages an open war with Batman, demanding that he reveal his true identity to the world or the chaos will continue. People start dying, buildings are blown up, and the city of Gotham starts blaming Batman for not turning himself in.
Meanwhile, Batman's alter ego Bruce Wayne is dealing with personal issues of his own. He is beginning to feel the effects of a public turning against him. He also has to deal with the fact that Rachel Dawes, his childhood love, has begun dating Harvey Dent, the new flashy public D.A. who openly challenges the criminals of Gotham. When the Joker appears and starts causing destruction, he doesn't know how to combat him. This is because the Joker's true motives are to humiliate Batman and, most importantly, to make him break his one rule: no killing. The Joker wants to prove that any seemingly good person can become twisted and evil when put under the right circumstances.
"The Dark Knight" is filled with top-shelf acting performances (especially by the late Heath Ledger, who as the Joker creates a character that will be remembered in cinematic history forever). There are action sequences that rival any ever put to screen before. But it's the beating heart of the film, the ideas and emotions explored by the characters, that turn a great superhero movie into a piece of dramatic intensity that will rock your soul. "The Dark Knight" is an adult story with meaning and purpose. It may be long, dark, and occassionally confusing (you're going to want to see it at least twice just to catch everything), but it's an essential film-going experience you're unlikely to repeat anytime soon.
"The Dark Knight" gets a 5 out of 5.

What's new in theaters for the week of July 18, 2008

Hello. Here are this week's new films:

Opening in Wide Release:

• "The Dark Knight" - Bruce Wayne/Batman is forced to defend Gotham City from...oh come on, you already know what this is about! It's the Dark friggin' Knight! Rated PG-13.
• "Mamma Mia!" - Based on the beloved musical. A young woman getting married in Greece locates three men, one of whom may possibly be her father, and invites them to her wedding. Lots of ABBA, songs and dancing. Not for me, but the audience for this kind of thing should be pleased. Rated PG-13.
• "Space Chimps" - This animated film is like an alternate version of "Planet of the Apes." A group of monkeys trained for space travel crashland on a strange planet and find themselves saving its inhabitants from a mad dictator. This looks like a perfectly harmless movie for young kids, but I'd recommend seeing "Wall-E" again instead. Rated G.

Opening in Limited Release:

• "Transsiberian" - An American couple taking a train from China to Russia meet another mysterious couple and soon find themselves drawn into a terrifying ordeal. Brad Anderson, the director, has also made "The Machinist" and "Session 9," two of the best (and creepiest) movies you've probably never seen, and this film looks to be just as dark and thrilling as his other works. I believe this film will be coming out in wider release later; whatever the case, make sure you check this film out. Rated R.

All Things Batman

Hey guys! I'm so pumped...tomorrow The Dark Knight finally comes out, and I'm going to see it right after work! Honestly, I'm blowing a nerd-gasket just thinking about it. In celebration of the release, I've compiled a list of essential Batman-related DVDs and graphic novels that should be considered worth checking out by any fan. Take care and enjoy the movie (and I'll post my own review here on Monday).

• "Batman: Gotham Knight" (Two-Disc Collector's Edition DVD and Blu-ray) - This collection contains six animated shorts (all by different animators and writers) that collectively bridge the span between the events of "Batman Begins" and "The Dark Knight." For example, here's where you'll find out what happened to Scarecrow after Katie Holmes shot a taser in his face. David S. Goyer (co-writer of BB and TDK) contributes, among other appreciated artists. 75 minutes in length.
• "Batman: Year One" & "Batman: The Dark Knight Returns" - These two graphic novels, both overseen by veteran artist Frank Miller ("Sin City," "300"), were instrumental in reinvigorating the Batman character and helped set the tone for a darker, more internal hero (and sometimes anti-hero). "Year One" retold Batman's origin story, displaying Bruce Wayne's decision to save Gotham from the evil and corruption plaguing the city as the Caped Crusader. Lieutenant James Gordon and Selina Kyle (who would go on to become Catwoman) are also both introduced. This story served as a major influence on the tone and story for "Batman Begins." "The Dark Knight Returns" takes place after a ten year disappearance from Batman. Gotham has degenerated into a hell on earth, and Bruce Wayne is a broken man struggling to hold on to the hope that he can still change things. This graphic novel is celebrated as the definitive Batman story.
• "Batman Begins" (Limited Edition Gift Set [Blu-ray]) - If you own a Blu-ray player and don't already have a copy of "Batman Begins," this special set may be just what you're looking for. Along with the excellent film, the set also includes Blu-Ray high-def exclusive content: "The Dark Knight Prologue," plus Hollywood Movie Money to see The Dark Knight in theaters (a $7.50 value), 32-page exclusive "Dark Knight Prologue" book, 16-page comic book adaptation of the first 6 minutes of "The Dark Knight," a Batman Begins lenticular (I have no idea what that is), and five collectible post cards. So if you like getting lots of stuff, this sounds like the edition for you. 140 minutes in length.
• "Batman: The Killing Joke" - Whereas Frank Miller's work redefined Batman, this graphic novel by Alan Moore ("V for Vendetta," "Watchmen") recast The Joker. While he had devolved into a corny prankster, in "The Killing Joke" he was brought back to being the evil and insane villain he started off as. This book is most notable for The Joker's ruthless torture and eventual paralyzation of Barbara Gordon, aka Batgirl. This story is where Heath Ledger's version of the character comes from.

And finally, one more special pick...

• "Batman: The Movie (DVD and Blu-ray)" - BOW! ZAP! WHOOSH! Warning: do not confuse this with Tim Burton's version of Batman! This is the original Batman movie, based on the extremely cheesy television series that featured Adam West and Cesar Romero. In the film, Batman and Robin take on Catwoman, The Joker, The Penguin and The Riddler all at the same time...and on a yacht! If you can appreciate this type of style you will not be disappointed. 105 minutes in length.

"You Should Really Be Watching...": Mad Men

Hey guys; sorry it took me a little later to write today. Things have been busy, but here's a little story about a really great television series that I think you should be watching.

"Mad Men" takes place during the 1960s and focuses around the exploits of the men who worked for the Madison Avenue advertising corporations and the women in their lives. If that doesn't sound all that interesting to you, well, you're not alone. At first I wasn't all that interested either, but all the glowing reviews got me to check it out and I'm glad I did, because it's amazing. The show was created and is overseen by Matthew Weiner, who also worked on "The Sopranos," and he fills this series with deep, intensely conflicted characters and enjoyably complex storylines. This really is television drama of the highest order.

The show returns to AMC for it's second season on Sunday, July 27 at 10pm. The DVD of the first season is in stores now, so you can catch up before it begins again. And even better, you can watch the entire first episode of the series for free at the show's official website. I've posted a link to it below.

http://blogs.amctv.com/mad-men/2008/07/season-1-episode-1.php

July 15, 2008 - DVD and CD new releases

Good morning. It's another Tuesday, so here are this week's new DVD and CD releases.

DVDs

• The Bank Job - This is a funny and exciting action/heist movie based on a very intriguing true story. Jason Statham from the Transporter series stars.
• Birds of Prey: The Complete Series - Just in time for the release of The Dark Knight, this overlooked television series revolves around a group of female vigilantes who take over protecting Gotham after Batman disappears. Ashley Scott stars as the supernaturally gifted daughter of Batman and the late Catwoman.
• Shutter - Yet another remake of an Asian horror film, this particular story centers around the dead appearing in photos. I thought this movie looked kind of stupid, but who knows...it could be scary. But I doubt it.
• more: Meet Bill, Step Up 2 The Streets, Trafic, Monsieur Vincent, Robbie Coltrane's Incredible Britain, Beau Brummell: This Charming Man, Asylum, Penelope, Eureka - Season 2, Reno 911 - Season 5, Swamp Thing: The Series - Volume 2, MANswers: The Best of Season One.

CDs

• The Hold Steady - ""Stay Positive": The title of this album is very fitting, as it contains eleven uplifting punchy rock n' roll songs that should be able to brighten anyone's mood.
• Jay Brannan - "Goddamned": This YouTube star from NYC delivers an intriguing collection of acoustic tunes with a harder edge. Something a little different, but this guy could definitely catch onto a much bigger audience.
• Through The Fire - "The World At Our Feet": I wasn't able to find clips of this online, but I'm still promoting this release because these guys hail from Lansing, Michigan. Gotta support the fellow Michiganders!
• more: John Mellencamp - "Life Death Love and Freedom," "Passing Strange" (Original Broadway Cast), "The Dark Knight" - Official Soundtrack, Circus Circus - "Brooklyn Nightlife," Saints Never Surrender - "Brutus," Ace Young - "Ace Young," Delta Goodrem - "Delta."

Hellboy II: The Golden Army review

Good morning everybody. To start this week off, here's my own personal review of Hellboy II.

Movie Review: Hellboy II: The Golden Army
The first Hellboy film was much more of a standard superhero movie, although it still contained a lot of wit and originality. But it seems that the success of Del Toro's last film, the progressive fairytale Pan's Labyrinth, has allowed him to break open the floodgates of creativity in his mind. Indeed, Hellboy II is so chocked full of spectacular special effects and amazing creatures that it comes off feeling like much more of a fantasy film in the vein of Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, and Star Wars than Spider-man and Batman. One sometimes gets the sense that Del Toro is preparing himself for his next project, "The Hobbit." And you know what? That's perfectly fine with me. We've had plenty of standard (abeit very good) superhero films this year, so I'm definitely open to something that chooses to move outside of the box.

However, the best aspect of the original film is still there: the delightfully oddball characters and their personalities. It's just as fun watching their relationships with each other and with the world around them develop as it is watching the special effects. The dynamic between Hellboy and his pyrokinetic girlfriend Liz, who are now living together and attempting to deal with the many issues that kind of commitment brings up is both hilarious and surprisingly touching. Abe Sapien, another member of the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense, gets a love interest of his own as well. This leads to a scene in which Hellboy and Abe, both brokenhearted, drunkenly sing along to Barry Manilow's "Can't Smile Without You," that tops any of the movie's awe-inspiring action sequences. Another memorable scene occurs in Manhattan as a giant Earth God wreaks havoc on the city. This scene, however, is memorable not as much for the action as for what follows it: a moment of exquisite beauty and sadness that speaks to the heart of Del Toro's message (and yes, this film has a message): we humans have been slowly pushing away the more fantastical elements of our world for some time, and once they are gone they may be gone forever.

Some people may be disappointed that this film rejects many of the more superhero story-related elements of the original. Nevertheless, Hellboy II is a sequel that easily outpaces the original and establishes Guillermo Del Toro as one of the most talented filmmakers working today.

Hellboy II: The Golden Army gets a 5 out of 5.

Friday, July 11: New Movie Releases

Good morning. It's Friday, which means that a new crop of movies are coming to theaters today.

Opening in Wide Release:

• "Hellboy II: The Golden Army" - Hellboy, Liz, Abe and the rest of the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense return to stop a long dormant force from releasing hell on earth. I'm really pumped for this movie. I liked the original film a lot, and this one looks even better. Director Guillermo Del Toro is a true master of the fantastical. Rated PG-13.
• "Journey To The Center Of The Earth" - Loosely inspired by the classic Jules Verne novel. Brendan Fraser is a science professor who, while on an expedition in Iceland with his nephew and tour guide, find themselves lost deep beneath the Earth's core and fight to survive against an assortment of strange and wonderous creatures. This movie is being released in 3-D in some theaters. Looks like it could be fun, especially for the younger set. Rated PG.
• "Meet Dave" - Eddie Murphy plays multiple roles yet again, this time as the captain of tiny aliens who come to Earth inside a human-sized spaceship that...looks like Eddie Murphy. While this film doesn't look to be nearly as terrible as his last film, "Norbit," it also doesn't look very funny either. Expect yet another flop for Eddie Murphy. Rated PG.

Opening in Limited Release:

• "Garden Party" - A group of a group of confused teenagers running from bad situations struggle to chase their dreams in L.A. Looks kind of like a mix between "Crash," "Garden State" and "The O.C." I'd keep my eyes open for this one. Not rated (but looks to contain adult content).
• "Harold" - A young kid suffering from premature male-pattern baldness has to deal with the challenge of starting high school in a new town. This movie looks really strange, but it's got a great cast and a very original idea. A cult classic waiting to happen. Rated PG-13.
• "Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired" - This documentary examines celebrated director Roman Polanski's sudden flight from the United States after being plagued by tragedy and scandal. I'm a little surprise to see this film being released in theaters now, considering that it recently debuted on HBO. Looks to be a very informative and interesting doc, especially if you're familiar with Polanski and his many classic films ("The Tenant," "Rosemary's Baby," "The Pianist," etc.). Not rated.
• "The Stone Angel" - An elderly woman runs off when her son and daughter-in-law tell her they're moving her into a nursing home. Looks like a tearjerker similar to "The Notebook"...but it does have Ellen Page ("Juno"), which is always a plus in my book. Rated R.

Doctor Who comics are coming!

If you're a fan of "Doctor Who" like me, you'll be very interested in hearing about a new series of comics coming out based on the popular British character. Entitled "Doctor Who: The Forgotten," this series appears to do something very interesting: it creates new storylines for all ten incarnations of the Doctor (and rumor has it some of them may end up meeting up with each other somehow). I'm not really a big fan of comics, but these actually look really cool and interesting.

For those of you not in the know, The Doctor is the last of a race called the Time Lords who travels through time and space, meeting new companions and tangling with many different foes throughout the series. The most unique aspect of the character is that every time he "dies" he actually is resurrected into a new body. Thanks to this, "Doctor Who" is the longest running science-fiction series in history and to date ten different people have played the role of The Doctor (including current Doc David Tennant, who you may recognize from "Harry Potter and the Goblet Of Fire").

Here's the article I found about these comics:
http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=16967

And if you want to see what the series is all about, you can catch new episodes of the current season Fridays at 9:00pm on the Sci-Fi Channel. Since there's really not much else on TV right now, it's the perfect time to get to know the good Doctor!

Michael Bay's take on "The Dark Knight" (don't worry, it's fake!)

Hey guys, I stumbled across this yesterday and I think it's absolutely hilarious (and a little frightening):

If you've ever wandered how action/schlock director Michael Bay ("Transformers," "The Rock," "Armageddon," "Bad Boys 2," etc.) would have handled reinventing Batman had Warner Brothers not gone with Chris Nolan, well, now you can find out. Here are some purportedly leaked pages of a "Dark Knight" screenplay written by Bay. Like I said in the heading, it's fake, but whoever actually wrote this did a great job in making it feel like it could be the real deal. Considering that Nolan is reportedly unsure about returning for the next Batman film, I really hope this doesn't give Warner Brothers any ideas...

Here's the website:
http://my.spill.com/profiles/blog/show?id=947994%3ABlogPost%3A355506

July 8, 2008 - DVD and CD new releases

Hey guys, here's the first of what will become a Tuesday staple: listing the CDs and DVDs that come out today. Normally I'll post these really early in the day (they should be up by 6:00 am most weeks).

DVDS:

• "Batman: Gotham Knight" - This is a collection of six animated short films tying Batman Begins and The Dark Knight. If you remember The Animatrix it's the same idea.
• "Stop-loss" - Surprise, surprise...a movie about the war in Iraq that failed at the box office this year. But this one deserves better...it's from Kimberley Pierce, the director of Boys Don't Cry. Check it out.
• "Superhero Movie" - Yet another crappy parody movie. Every time another one of these films come out my soul dies a little inside.
• more: Joe Strummer: The Future Is Unwritten; Flakes; Patti Smith: Under Review; The X-Files: Revelations; The Tracey Fragments; Sleepwalking; The Ruins; Fastlane: The Complete Series, Psych: The Complete Second Season, Monk: Season 6, Journey to the Center of the Earth (with Rick Schroder), Stargate Atlantis: The Complete Fourth Season; Jake and The Fatman: Season 1 Volume 1.

CDS:

• Beck: "Modern Guilt" - He may be a Scientologist, but this dude still knows how to make good music.
• Willie Nelson and Wynton Marsalis: "Two Men With The Blues" - A famous stoner and some other guy make blues songs. Might appeal to some of you.
• "Momma Mia! The Movie Soundtrack" - Bring on the return of ABBA!
• more: Billy Joel: "The Stranger (2CD/DVD deluxe edition)"; Gaelic Storm: "What's The Rumpus?"; Great Big Sea: "Fortune's Favour"; Yaz: "In Your Room"; Saul Williams: "The Inevitable Rise and Liberation Of Niggy Tardust"; Alison Movet: "The Turn"; Chromeo: "Fancy Footwork."

News on The Dresden Dolls (well, 1/2 of them)

Hey everybody (aka pretty much just me right now). This is my second posting, so it looks like this blog idea is going to work out after all! Anyway, here's the news I promised in the headline:

Are you a fan of the Dresden Dolls, the world's best (and only?) punk-cabaret band on the planet? If you are you'll be happy to hear that DD frontwoman Amanda Palmer's highly anticipated solo album "Who Killed Amanda Palmer" is going to be released on September 16. If you don't want to wait 'til then to sample it, Amanda is teaming up with director Michael Pope for a series of videos leading up to the release. According to the lovely Ms. Palmer, these are going to be a collection of music videos (each highlighting a song from the album) that, when viewed in order, connect to tell a full story. The first video for the song "Astronaut" is already available to view on YouTube and MySpace; a new video will be released every two weeks. You'll also be able to listen to the songs on their own at her MySpace page: myspace.com/whokilledamandapalmer. I've already checked out the "Astronaut" video and it's pretty cool. If you like the Dolls, you'll definitely dig her solo work.

And if you're not already a fan of the Dresden Dolls, now's the perfect time to get to know them! I'd recommend starting with their most recent (and most accessible) release, "No, Virginia..." and then working your way through the rest of their catalog.

The First Entry (so it begins!)

So, for this initial entry I am just going to write a few musings on various things and see how it goes...

You may have heard recently that there's going to be an "Arrested Development" movie slated to come out next year. And, if you're like me, you immediately started jumping up and down in frenzied excitement. Well, as it turns out, all that celebrating might just have been a little premature. It's been revealed that there is currently no script, deal or virtually anything giving a sign that this is actually going to happen anytime soon. Despite this, the former cast members seem to be holding out hope for the project. In his interviews for "Hancock," former "AD" star Jason Bateman has been continually teasing that a movie is planned for a 2009 release. I am still crossing my fingers that this project comes to fruition in the near future.

Also, I have recently acquired a number of movies on DVD that I am trying to get around to watching (my close friends know that this kind of thing tends to be an issue with me). Thursday night I watched "In Bruges," a film about a couple of hitmen hiding out in the titular Belgian city after a botched assassination attempt. The film stars Colin Farrel, Brendan Gleeson and Ralph Fiennes. It's a pitch-black dark comedy that's a welcome breath of fresh air from your typical shootem' up action films. Definitely check this out if you're looking for something outside the norm. Here's a few more movies I'm planning on watching in the near future: The Signal, a zombie-action-horror-comedy with three different directors; Frontier(s), a French horror film that supposedly rivals Hostel in terms of unrelenting violence; Suspiria, a classic in the extreme horror genre; The Machine Girl, a crazy Japanese film about a teenage girl with a machine gun-arm who takes on the bullies who killed her brother; Tekkonkinkreet, an anime film about a couple of crazy kids who battle the Yokuza in a futuristic Japanese city; and finally, Heathers, a classic 80s dark comedy starring Winona Ryder and Christian Slater (back when they were still famous) that purportedly paved the way for off-kilter teen comedies like Juno and Mean Girls.

Well, that's all for now. As this was just a first attempt, I promise I'll up the quality content of my writings from here on out. Thanks for reading!