galaga51's Recent Comments
Something Viral Planned for DARK KNIGHT - Jul 08, 2008 - 10:13am
Also tonight, on The Tonight Show is Aaron Eckhart. I was watching last night for Selma Blair who was in a skimpy little thang, and in passing Jay referred to TDK as the best movie of the year... not that he's truly a professional movie critic, but I take it he has already seen it. Anyway, add one more to the list of people who already think highly of the film. Aside: And if you're going to catch The Tonight Show for Aaron, Dara Torres is also on tonight. It's pretty impressive for a 41 year old swimmer to qualify for a 5th Olympic games. As for the viral event... can someone wire me a gift of $800? Let me know soon so I can catch a plane.

Box Office: HANCOCK Flies into July 4th Victory - Jul 07, 2008 - 03:00pm
Damn, you folks have too much time. I feel like I'm always the last one to post these days. I guess I just need to log in first thing in the morning.I'll be in Seattle for the next two weekends with extended family... not sure if I'll be able to catcheither HB2 or TDK until the following week. Maybe I can drag my cuzinz to the PacSciCtrImax where TDK will own all in it's huge glory.As for Hancock... maybe I'll make it #498 on my queue. That's at least 30 days of continuous movies before I get to it. I'll get right on that... after I get back from Seattle.And to touch on page one/two... I find it interesting that Memento's movie page is still up after 8 years; most are gone after one.

Sigourney Weaver Up for ALIENS 5 - Jul 07, 2008 - 10:14am
Alien3: I liked the very different direction it took. Yes, I was miffed that they sacked 3 GREAT characters that I expected to see, but I still enjoyed it. AR/4: it started well and the direction was fun and exciting. But it was the ending that sucked hard - STUPID on all accounts. It should've ended with one or two pods narrowly escaping an exploding space station and falling to earth. Easy setup for 5th film on Earth w/ or w/out Ripley and/or Predators. Also, I love to point these out - Related Products: Moby Presents: Alien Sex Party... Wasn't that what happened in AR/4? :p

Bale Will Bail if Robin Shows in KNIGHT Sequel - Jul 03, 2008 - 09:33am
Dangit Joey, you beat me to it. Despite that some hated the storyline for the call-in marketing blitz, one of my favorite pages in Batman history is The Joker going to town on Jason Todd with a crowbar.

IMAX Bank Scene from DARK KNIGHT - Jul 03, 2008 - 05:45am
That's a great, underused quote, Flint. I'm holding off from watching, but for some reason, just knowing this is available has me stoked. Have a great 4th everyone!

Striking Gold! Writer/director Guillermo del Toro - Jul 02, 2008 - 10:26am
The Hobbit - Well, from his 11 year old persepective, one might expect there might be a little more "color" to the film (not just color, but a little exaggeration in style/size/etc.), but he is going into this with the knowledge that this will connect with the other films, so I doubt he'd go overboard. Hopefully Rivendell and Hobbiton will look very similar.HB DVD Set - I'm sure they'll figure out how to do that at some point. Anything to make a little more money.

Thomas McCarthy Joining Emmerich's 2012 - Jul 02, 2008 - 08:03am
If they need just one more option for the end of the world, how about the Supercollider that is going operational a couple months from now in Europe? There could be a special experiment scheduled on or just prior to "the day". Here's an excerpt from a recent CNN article - http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/06/30/doomsdaycollider.ap/index.html : "The physicist Martin Rees has estimated the chance of an accelerator producing a global catastrophe at one in 50 million -- long odds, to be sure, but about the same as winning some lotteries." Ok, that's not just a catastrophe, but a global catastrophe. 1 in 50mil seems a bit high for me, but whatever. Here's to hoping we don't "win" that lottery. Have a nice day! HA ha HA ha ha Ha hA Ha!

New Viral DARK KNIGHT Poster - Jul 02, 2008 - 07:59am
*walks in on Hanso and Wiseguy... slowly backs out, shuts the door* ;-p Regarding supporting vs. non... It may have something to do with the perspective of the film, whether it's more about Batman's (and the city's) reaction to The Joker, or if it really is a balance of that and The Joker's desire to kill The Bat. However, as noted by http://www.filmschoolrejects.com/opinions/best-supporting-actor-round-up.php, a villain evidently only needs 16 minutes of screentime to win, in particular, Anthony Hopkins in Silence of the Lambs. Perhaps it is the studios/producers who decide which category for which to submit based on what they feel are the best chances for that particular person to win. Based on previews, I'm guessing he should deserve a lead nom. MrJE - Peter Finch posthumously won for his performance as Howard Beale in 1976's "Network."

New DARK KNIGHT Trailer, New Villain for Third Film? - Jun 30, 2008 - 08:00pm
With the double villain two face and the riddler, I think there might be too much of a copy cat vibe and/or just bad lingering taste for the non-Nolan-loyalists, but I suppose he is one of the more intellectual villains. Initially, I'm not for it, but if Nolan were confident about it,... sign me up.

Box Office: WALL-E Victorious But WANTED Strikes Hard - Jun 30, 2008 - 04:14pm
Hanso, if you're the joker, I'll play a toady henchman right to my death on this one. Hell, I'll even dress up in a Harley Quinn costume and talk in a high voice. I totally have faith that TDK will crush all others. Plus, there is the Heath factor. His last full feature... yeah, people will show up. Oh yeah, and then there's IMAX with an extra $5 or so a pop. That's where my ass will be.I am rewatching HB1 and BB this coming weekend instead of seeing Hancock. Anything that sets it aside from other superhero flix, I feel I already saw in the trailer. Plus I have family coming into town, and I'm running a 10K on Friday. Evilbeagle, I already made my hypothesis on that What IF: Hanso - still in his makeup from opening night - fully takes on The Joker persona and starts killing mania members who doubted him (and random others for giggles) left and right. Don't worry, he'll find you.I wholeheartedly disagree with Revenge of the Sith; by the end of SW2, we had lowered our expectations so low, the imrovement of SW3 was actually above our expectations. But yeah, it still sucked.Later guys, I need to start training for that 10K. Fear The Bat. Fear The Joker. Fear Hanso. You've been warned.

THE SWORD IN THE STONE (45th Anniversary Edition) - Jun 30, 2008 - 03:08pm
"The one glaring weakness is that you don’t get the memorable songs you’re used to getting in a Disney film." That's funny, because I see that as one of it's greatest strengths. We don't all like Disney film for their music, as catchy as some of the tunes might be. Plus, I liked this simpler animation. Not my favorite, but definitely one of...

Bonham Carter Joining TERMINATOR SALVATION - Jun 30, 2008 - 10:30am
I definitely don't mind getting drunk, but I would much rather enjoy my alcohol to get there... at least the first 4 or 5. And while I realize everyone is not me, I cannot fathom why anyone would drink Jäger except to have in some sadomasochist bonding with your friends - I don't have those kind of friends. That is some vile $#*!. I'll have to try a Washington Apple; I love me some Crown. And I'm guessing we're talking about Crown Royal and not Royal Crown (as was written by MrJE). Big Difference. Although, perhaps a "Royal Crown Royal" would be worth trying. As for the article topic, I'm w/ almost and evil. I feel like I should care, I just don't... yet. But I like Mrs. Freak, so that info does has me more interested than before. And yeah, you can have her Predator... she may be good for a night or two out on the town, but I'm not sure I could deal with her on a regular basis. But with your hunting schedule, maybe that's not much of an issue.

THE MUMMY 3 and Summer Olympics Team Up. - Jun 27, 2008 - 01:47pm
I was already thinking of the Empire Strikes Back glasses from Burger King... of which I have about 10... in a box... somewhere... I hope.

THE MUMMY 3 and Summer Olympics Team Up. - Jun 27, 2008 - 07:50am
While it definitely sounds hokey, reinforced advertising by association makes sense to me, because as you're watching the Olympics, you are more likely to think of the movie, or vice versa. Really, is it any different than a fast food restaurant combining their commercial with scenes of a movie?

Two New Clips for X-FILES 2 - Jun 26, 2008 - 03:26pm
The problem for me is twofold. 1. I'm only moderately interested (and the trailer doesn't deliver enough plot to change that), and 2. I will definitely have seen 3 movies in the previous 4 weeks if not more.

Mandate Suffers Consequences in FAR AWAY - Jun 26, 2008 - 10:26am
Capt, once you get to assistant manager, then you can make the jump. I was almost there, but I quit a week after my promotion to drive-thru with an inspiring 5 cent raise. Damn, I hated that job.

Nicole Ritchie Joining NBC's CHUCK - Jun 26, 2008 - 10:13am
Yeah, I suppose it's just a bit part, but they could have just as easily put an actual actress who needed a job in that role, and yet the producers thought some of us would actually like to see her whether to see her shine or fail. Count me out. Happy Hunting, Pred'.

China & Korea Teams Up for HOST 2 - Jun 26, 2008 - 10:07am
I thought The Host was fairly well done, especially considering that it was relatively low budget. And I enjoyed some of the more humorous touches. I'll definitely give it my consideration.

CLOVERFIELD 2 On Hold, 300 Prequel Coming - Jun 26, 2008 - 09:58am
300 Prequel - Most likely, no thanks. If it weren't for history, which was obviously embelished, I don't think I would have been that interested. I suppose there might be another worthwhile story, but the story seemed to take a backseat to presentation. And while I enjoyed the artistry of 300, I don't think I'd be interested enough to see 299 or 200 or whatever. Cloverfield 2 - I thoroughly enjoyed CF(1) and am interested in a sequel, but I'm not begging for one. While I didn't need to pop a dramamine, I hope they go a much different route with the camera style if not with the style of the movie in general. I'd expect the story to involve something like the government uses genetic engineering to create a cross-breed animal and pump it up with the "special ingredient" (re: Slusho) that supposedly made the CF-alien (and it's little friends) oversized. Hellboy3? Hellyeah3!

Tilda Swinton Joins Polanski's GHOST - Jun 26, 2008 - 08:42am
Remove the romance and add a deviant snuff film and wasn't this called 8MM starring ... who was that... tall, usally bad actor... oh yeah!...Nicholas Cage?! I'll add Family Man to the other two films (see previous article) in which I liked his acting. Bottom Line: Not interested.

Brosnan, Cage Join Polanski's GHOST - Jun 25, 2008 - 05:47am
I don't think he's an awful actor, but I just don't think Cage is that good. I will make two exceptions... Moonstruck and Raising Arizona. Of course, how long ago were those?

TV Wasteland: Do Bigger Booms Make Better Stories? - Jun 23, 2008 - 03:28pm
Actually, I'm interested in ISAJGS. So what if it's a rip off!? I know we all pretend to hate sequels, remakes and adaptations, but really we don't care. While originality is nice, we just want to be entertained, and if ISAJGS is entertaining - and if they ever have Human Tetris, it should be - then I welcome it. However... the two events mentioned in the above mention and the previews I've seen, admittedly, seem to be less than exciting. I'll give it a couple weeks. I agree, I lost interest in Family Guy looong ago. Heroes, with so much time off, a little rehash is okay, but some really unexpected plot lines would be nice. And I really wish Sylar would have had to gain all new powers, but so much for that.

Top Maniacal Rumors: Leo America, Knight Time & Punisher Hex! - Jun 20, 2008 - 03:11pm
Good column... better responses, hilarious. Thanks for a great Friday, that said: 1. Even if Leo could bulk up, most of us still think of him as scrawny, and those notions would hurt the marketing. 3. 152 minutes, pssh, whatever. Everyone loves the bat. It may not be tops, but it'll break 300mil. It'll make extra from IMAX, too... and extra when people who didn't go see it in IMAX the first time, decide to go see it again on IMAX. 5. I'm just starting to watch Robotech... but I am NOT thrilled with the idea of Tobey in this. 2. Haven't seen em. 4. Don't have cable. 6. Haven't read it... I'll let you guys make the call on these. I'm off to watch a soccer game; have a good weekend.

Summit Reveals New Video Clips for TWILIGHT - Jun 19, 2008 - 03:26pm
The trailer doesn't inspire me... and neither do those Napkins nor the Dinnerware sets under... uh-hem... Related Products. I suppose if there were a movie called The Dead Always Rise on Summer's Eve, we'd be assaulted with feminine hygiene products. But at least there aren't popups anymore.

Lawrence Kasdan to Pen ROBOTECH - Jun 17, 2008 - 02:13pm
almost... did that toy happen to be the Autobot Jetfire (aka Skyfire)?I see Clash of the Titans as a classic, but not so much so that it cannot be redone. It's been long enough that it could definitely benefit from some modern special effects. mckracken, even without another project to stall the script's progress, I hope that a film like Robotech would take at least a year and a half to make.Excellent question, Raulendy. A sprawling sci-fi epic... yeah, let's hope these descriptors remain true.

Perlman and Jones Talk HELLBOY II - Jun 13, 2008 - 08:17am
My wife even expressed interest in HB2, and she hasn't even seen the first one. She's not adverse to this kind of film, she's just usually not interested. But me? Yeah, I'm ready.Oh and I found this on WENN that was relavent and a tad humorous; I left a bit out and got to the point... Mexican moviemaker Guillermo Del Toro has ruled out ever directing a romantic film - because he prefers blood and guts.He explains, "No way. Sleepless in Seattle can go f**k itself.

New Set Photos for DA VINCI Prequel - Jun 09, 2008 - 12:44pm
I agree that Tom Hanks can play just about anything, but when I heard he was cast, I immediately thought it was a bad fit. But inconsistency seems to hurt more than help, so little sense in changing it now. Yeah, The Shinning was one of the great Treehouse of Horror skits... Oh wait, you meant The Shining, didn't you? My bad. ;-)

Teaser Trailer for Martin's PINK PANTHER 2 - Jun 09, 2008 - 06:23am
"Why not pass it along?" Because it doesn't fit the genre qualifications for this site, nor was the first one impressive enough that we would actually care.

Zetumer Ready to Pen Herbert's DUNE - Jun 06, 2008 - 09:51am
I first saw Lynch's version when I was quite young, and I had not read any of the books. It was difficult to take it all in, but I thought it was quite wonderous; on the contrary, I found myself a bit bored by the the TV series - not that it was poorly done - I just couldn't get into it. I'm open to a reimagining/reboot/remake/rewhatever.

Sander's Happy Madison Launches GENRE Label - Jun 06, 2008 - 09:45am
Joey, I loved Punch Drunk Love, but I seem to be in the minority. I thought it was a great flick to squeeze his quirkiness into a dramatic (yet, still humorous) role, but I attribute the quality of that film more to P.T. Anderson; if you like quirky, artistic, romantic dramedies, then I highly recommend it. Most people didn't get it, but then most were assuming it would be a Happy Madison style comedy, which yes, are becoming rather stale. Monkey... would that map be akin to one that a bunch of dwarfs used to step through space and time to loot the treasures of the world? ;-) So will this Shortcut be a serious horror or comical horror? I suspect the latter.

New Featurette for DARK KNIGHT - Jun 06, 2008 - 09:32am
Am I the only one who finds it oddly amusing that there is a plot summary for this film? I realize it's a standard for Mania film articles, but still. I am usually not a fan of hollywood films on IMAX, but I think this one will be appealing enough for the drive across town.

Christopher Lee Agrees to Return to MIDDLE EARTH - Jun 05, 2008 - 09:16am
Snally, you're numbers look correct, and I believe you're a bit correct on your latter statement. If I recall correctly, Hobbits age slower than humans - I'd need to do some research to confirm that - so Bilbo's 51 isn't 51 by our standards and especially not the standards of a 51 year old human in the medieval ages, give or take an era.

Nine New Photos for MADAGASCAR 2 - Jun 04, 2008 - 09:30am
I liked Madagascar, but really, the penguins stole the show. It is a smart move to keep them in this one.Ka-BOOM!? Edit: ...which is funny because after I wrote that, I saw the caption for slide 8 in the linked (above) photos which quotes J.Katzenberg, "We had to be careful that they didn't steal the show."

WWPhilly: Marvel Secret Invasion Panel - Jun 03, 2008 - 02:40pm
The running joke back when I worked in a comic shop in the early 90s: "Hello X-mansion? Jean Grey? No, I'm sorry, she died a month ago. But if you'll call back next week..."

Peter Billingsley Talks IRON MAN 2 - Jun 03, 2008 - 05:11am
To some degree we've already seen Tony rise above his drunken obliviation, but that's not to say he couldn't slip into old habits... however... we already have a movie coming out about an actively drunk superhero coming out called Hancock featuring golden boy Will Smith, so using that plotline might not be such a good idea.

Top Seven Reasons Hardcore Gamers Don't Matter Anymore - May 27, 2008 - 09:26am
Does the Sex In The City or Carmen Electra game come with a wii-brator? Oh wait, the wii-mote already vibrates!

DVD Review of Indiana Jones the Adventure Collection - May 19, 2008 - 05:29am
While I would suspect most here would already have the 2003 set, there is bound to be another set released for the 2008 Xmas holidays; even if it isn't the last to have Indy, it MIGHT be the last with him as the featured character... as mentioned in the other article.

George Lucas Talks INDY 5 - May 19, 2008 - 05:26am
With Shia the up-and-coming profile actor, this is merely confirmation to what some suspected a while back. But hey, IF they can make fun, enjoyable flicks, sure - go ahead.

DONNIE DARKO Sequel - May 11, 2008 - 12:02pm
Same boat. Bad idea. Just leave some cult classics alone. Next thing you know we'll have The Unusual Suspects, Mementoo followed by Mementrois, A Clockwork Blue, and a remake of Akira. Oh damn, the last one is already happening.

IRON MAN - May 04, 2008 - 12:56pm
I'll admit that there were some uneven parts, but not enough to give it a B. It was damn good, A-. . It's good to see some iron-clad reviews that were missing from a particular adaptation of some metallic heroes from '07. I'm sure Iron Man will make tons of cash... which is a good thing, because evidently he's been having a rough time during this recession. I saw him (er... a guy in a vinyl costume) the other day holding a poster for a $3.99 car wash yesterday. So sad. ;-p

New 3 Minute Clip of SPEED RACER - May 04, 2008 - 10:48am
Wiseguy, if you didn't know, Mla and MW are actually those two gang leaders from one of the jail episodes of My Name is Earl, who pretend to hate each other in front of their everyone else, but they actually attempt to get thrown in solitary together for some special lovin time. ;-p Personally, I'm not sold yet... It definitely has some fun, cool-looking shots, but there might just be too much Velveeta for my taste.

23.5 Degrees: Bloodline---The Movie - May 04, 2008 - 10:19am
Look Stella And Mania too, intrigue leading to a payoff is one thing. Incoherent mystery with aboslutely no hint of something greater, some future reward (however small) for the time and effort spent invested is not really all that worthwhile, nor that interesting. My interest was piqued for the first, maybe second post; now, even if I knew it pertainted to something about which I was really thrilled, I don't know whether I would bother to look back and see what all the hub-bub was about. 23.5... yawn.

Bandai Visual Releasing Anime on BLU-RAY - Apr 28, 2008 - 05:22am
So will Anime be even more expensive or will it stay at the currently rediculous price (relative to other DVDs that is)?

NYCC: Marvel Legends Action Figures - Apr 23, 2008 - 09:34am
It's hard to tell, but it appears that Wolvie's claws are actually longer than his forearms. Yeah, I know, it's just a toy... and a toy of a fictional character at that.

One Missed Call - Apr 23, 2008 - 09:08am
Well, with hints of positive and it being filmed locally, I might just have to add it to my list... I don't think I'll ever get my queue back under 400.

DreamWorks Chasing New Spy Thriller - Apr 10, 2008 - 09:31am
Agreed. Whoever is doing the advertisements [pointroll, ad.thewheelof, whoever] totally sucks. It seems they are abusing (unless Mania is giving specific permission for each of these tricks) any common courtesy. Mania, if you cannot support the site with regular ads, just call it quits. This crap is rediculous.

CLOVERFIELD - Apr 10, 2008 - 09:21am
I really enjoyed CF, shaky cam and all. It only bothered me at the party when some of the shakiness actually seemed intentionally increased. My friend however, had to step out for a moment near the end to hold off a cookie toss.

Disney's 10 Animated Films To 2012 - Apr 09, 2008 - 09:12am
Bolt: Wasn't Bolt (or maybe Thunderbolt?) the dog/TV Show that the puppies in 101 Dalmations watched?

New Viral Site for HELLBOY II? - Apr 08, 2008 - 03:35pm
New Mania Rule: No posting only to complain about Viral Campaigns. You must bring something else to the table. I think they do help, but to varying degrees, depending on the viral campaign. It gets those who ARE interested in the sites to talk up the movie more to their friends, the fence sitters, persuading them to see it. In this case, every little bit could help get people in the seats the first week, as Wiseguy so pointed out.

Pike and Rhames Deal With SURROGATES - Apr 04, 2008 - 09:17am
Ving and Bruce? "What now?" -- "What now? Let me tell you what now. I'ma call a coupla hard, pipe-hittin' niggers, who'll go to work on the homes here with a pair of pliers and a blow torch. You hear me talkin', hillbilly boy? I ain't through with you by a damn sight. I'ma get medieval on your ass." Ah good times.

Remake Coming for SHORT CIRCUIT - Apr 04, 2008 - 06:02am
I remember liking the original when I was ... I don't know ... in elementary school. I definitely don't have high hopes for this, unless it's hard core action.

Evil Children Attack in THE DAY - Mar 31, 2008 - 10:12am
The Day...? What a really descriptive title! [/sarcasm] Instead, how about The Day Trip or The Outing or What I Should Have Learned From Watching Children of the Corn.

Four More Cast in Craven's 25/8 - Mar 31, 2008 - 09:25am
25/8 ... That reminds me of The Run DMC song "You Talk Too Much."

Cast Ready to Battle Angels in LEGION - Mar 28, 2008 - 09:41am
Like others, I'm not easily offended and enjoy near-world's-end flicks... such as The Seventh Sign as godsonfilm pointed out. To answer your question, rg', I suppose I could help start a debate on interpretations of The Bible and how there are some (not all) Christians who believe Christ will one day return not as a lamb, but as a lion to rule with force. And then I could point out that for others, what is really important is to focus on the Great Commandments, to love God and each other. But then if I were to do that, I'm sure SMS would jump in here and spout profanities and call people names for having any belief in a higher power. Then someone would point out that this is an article about that very topic and he should shut his hole if all he's going to do is attack people. And then SMS would continue to berate that person and everyone else and then it would all just bring everyone down. So, I'll just say that joeyB's comment was pretty funny and move on. ;-p

New Viral Sites for DARK KNIGHT - Mar 27, 2008 - 09:58am
One interesting thing I saw in The Gotham Times was an ad for The Iceberg Lounge, which is a nod to The Penguin.

High Scale Theaters Coming Soon - Mar 26, 2008 - 02:42pm
A $3 theater? Heck, we have a "second run" theater that is $1.75 and only $0.75 on Tuesdays! They don't have beer, but I'll make that suggestion.

Show Your Expertise in Mania Properties! - Mar 24, 2008 - 02:27pm
Chip, it's nice to see that someone is listening so I'll put my next hiatus on hiatus. I'll admit, it's better than it once was, but I do regular spyware checks and I haven't found anything, and I only get the windows when I visit Mania.

Show Your Expertise in Mania Properties! - Mar 24, 2008 - 09:27am
How about trying this ... turn off those GD-MF-PoS Full page Pop-up windows!

Last Poster for IRON MAN - Mar 09, 2008 - 10:13am
I figured I'd follow up my post before I go on hiatus for a while. Wiseguy, there may be no financial cost, but it is not FREE. If being subjected to advertisements were not worth something, they wouldn't be there. We are paying our time to look at them (or in our minds to avoid them). And in turn, the advertisers pay the host site because they think that it does some good. I have a right to complain, because this site is opened to the public and I am a member of the public. The issue is how much my complaint matters to those that run it. I may just be one guy but if more people stopped reading, the site would get the picture and remove the objectionable advertisement. Unfortunately, that leads to the possibility (I have no idea what full screen pop ups pay nor the investment that goes into hosting this site) of the host not finding the site to be financially worthwhile. Whatever. I hate scroll-over pop-ups, but I hate full screen popups even more. (Plus, there are a few other stylistic changes for the worse, imo.) So until mania decides to change, maybe I'll see you folks at another site. Peace.

Winstone Dealing with Vampire Strippers? - Mar 08, 2008 - 06:29am
I've really enjoyed Ray since Sexy Beast, which is a funny title, because there is really nothing sexy about it nor anything resembling a supernatural beast. I'll definitely be interested in seeing more about this.

GATTACA Special Edition - Mar 08, 2008 - 06:25am
Gattaca could be one of the most underrated sci-fi films. I have yet to pick it up, and as soon as it drops in price, I just might need to do that. And yeah, I rarely purchase any movie for more than $10. If I just NEED to see it immediately I'll pop it to the top of my Netflix Queue.

Last Poster for IRON MAN - Mar 08, 2008 - 06:23am
Am I the only one who doesn't like the poster? I am totally convinced this movie will kick ass, but this poster (similar to most that are just a face collage) just does not do it for me. I do realize they need to market the actors as for some that can be the tipping point, but this poster just doesn't grab me at all. As for the pop-ups. I sent an ultimatum to mania and I'm going to stand by it for a couple weeks. Pop-ups, especially full screen (really? wtf is up that?), are a huge turn off and what is even worse is that at work, it is categorized as a spy-ware page. So it comes up as a big blue screen that it draws attention and someone probably assumes I'm trying to look at porn... If you can't find advertisers who will commit to not using pop-up scripts, see ya! I'll check back in a few - otherwise, it was nice chatting with you all.

D&D Co-Creator Passes Away - Mar 04, 2008 - 06:15pm
While I missed eM's comment, it's probably for the best. When my cousin (and one of my best friends) Gary - just coincidence - died nearly a quarter century ago his mom gave me all of his D&D stuff. I must admit that for many years, it had a great effect on my life and in fact helped me deal with the loss. Thanks Gary for inspiring years of fun and imagination.

Special Edition INDY DVDS May 13 - Mar 03, 2008 - 01:40pm
Please, buy this special edition just before the 4th film comes out so that we can try to sell you another box set a few months later.

Joker's Girlfriend, Superman Returns & Beyond! - Feb 29, 2008 - 10:05am
Nightmare - Agreed... Lost interest with Bay. I don't see him taking this where I think it would be really cool. Supes - As long as it's not Superman II, part II, I MIGHT give it a chance. Harley Quinn - I (and I'm guessing others) already suspected her earlier. And like others, I hope her progression isn't too quick. Vegas - It had some fun shows, but overall it wasn't that great, hence it has been on Friday Nights for a while. SWMBO will be disappointed, though. F43. Haven't seen F42. [shrug] De2cent - Was it Se7en that was the first movie to use a number to replace a letter? Then, it was a tad clever, now it's just silly. I think I'll call it, The$.02. I liked the first well enough; it had some good tension and scares. I might see The$.02 if it receives at least fair critical reviews, but I'm not itchin' to see it. When it comes to Captain Marvel's title, Gomer Pyle said it best... GL - a good movie would be nice, but I'm not expecting much. LSF2 - best rumor on here. And Gladatir, you beat me to it. Tie-ins with PS and XBox are way too obvious to be missed, and if it is, several people should be fired. Final note: Yeah, so what is up with the maximized screen pop-up windows? LAME. I blocked yieldmanager and that did the trick. Is Mania that hard up for cash?! -- If pop-ups are blocked (like I have at home) then we don't see them. If they're not, people will probably stop viewing the site... or at least, I would. So why allow them at all? My$0.02.

China Ends Ban of Hollywood Films - Feb 26, 2008 - 09:25am
I don't dislike the Chinese, it's the government I don't care too much for. Oh wait, I don't really like ours either. Big culture change? umm... yes and no. Sure, go to Shanghai and other medium-big cities and that's true to an extent. But, I took a winding tour to Yellow Mountain a few years back, and there was a broad variety of old and new world lifestyles. I suppose over time new will trickle down. Still, it was pretty cool to see a few locales near/in Jade Valley where Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon was shot. The real problem is our unsatiable greed. Look at the trade deficit. Look at our national debt. And Bush is giving us back money??! To spend on what? Goods from Asia, that's what. Boost our economy?? Boost China and Japan's economy is more like it. What we should do is ban goods from China... oh wait, we can't. We've become too dependant on them. [Bend over]

Cameron Updates Status on AVATAR - Feb 22, 2008 - 11:02am
I'm very interested in what JamCam has in store for us as some of it sounds very ambitious. Let's hope he delivers. Who keeps taking my "Do Not Feed the Troll" sign down. ;-)

BIONIC WOMAN Officially Axed by NBC? - Feb 21, 2008 - 08:50am
Well, it HAD potential, but they never really used it. In fact, like rgtchtiger said, they actually squandered some of it; some things just happened too soon, too quickly. Now is just too convenient of a time to let it go. If anything, I'd rather NBC renew Journeyman and Life, but I hadn't heard anything recently; I thought Life had been renewed, but now, post-strike... who knows. Ahhh, Amazing Stories... good times. The Family Dog was easily my favorite.

Yates Could Return for DEATHLY HALLOWS - Feb 20, 2008 - 09:42am
I might be worried that Burton would put too wierd of a spin on the style that it would be a distraction, but if he would swear to keep things in check, it might be worth a consideration. I'd be all for Gilliam, the movie might never happen - poor guy.

Emmerich's New Apocalyptic Pitch for 2012 - Feb 20, 2008 - 09:39am
And Hollywood continues to put out movies in pairs... 19th century magicians, natural disasters, cartoon ants, etc.

Three More Confirmed for WOLVERINE - Feb 20, 2008 - 09:19am
I don't mind mixing up comic canon/history, but yes I sure hope adding Gambit fits the story; my first feeling is that it won't and that he's being forced in because he's a likable and recognizable character. The problem with that, is that a lot of his charm was from his relationship with his cheri, Rogue. I had hoped - before the "tragedy" - that in X3 he would have shown up and put the moves on Rogue and pissed off Wolvie.... ah X3... [frustrated sigh]. But yes, Character Overload? I'm getting that vibe as well. Costume? I don't much care what it looks like, as long as it looks good on a live person. Deadpool is more of a comical character and may be able to pull off something more from the pages, but at least the outfit should have red and black on it.

High Def Trailer for Shyamalan's HAPPENING - Feb 19, 2008 - 02:47pm
Azul..."since we all know shabbadoodoo is more sci-fi than drama it was on my mind from the beginning." Except that most people didn't know Shama lama ding dong the first time they saw 6th Sense, but yeah, a few people (claimed to have) figured it out. I enjoyed it. Otherwise, good points. I always thought that the water should have been lemonade where it was the acid - or heck, even the sugar - that was toxic. Either would have been more plausible than just water.

Official INDIANA JONES Teaser Online - Feb 14, 2008 - 09:43am
It's SpiderIndy! Some of the timing seemed a bit off, but that might be a case of seeing a brief shot instead of the whole scene. Otherwise it looks like a lot of fun. And Tholo, there probably would -have- ;-)been more Indy movies in those 18 years, but one of the issues was the lack of a good script, or rather, the lack of agreement on one. And I would rather have fewer movies and better scripts than more movies that have the dual functionailty of MegaMaid.

Tolkien Estate Sues New Line - Feb 12, 2008 - 03:32am
And now, the word is New Line is near it's end... well, as far as big budgets are concerned. Time Warner is planning to limit them to small budget films again and leave the others to WB. Or they might just fold it altogether. "Or they might just fold it," said all, together. :) Again, no big surprise here.

Alas, Poor Yorick - Feb 06, 2008 - 08:40am
A great book and a great article. I've picked up every issue (actually, I think I might be missing #2); something I've not done in a decade. Yes Jedi, I fear the translation to film may lose a lot. The linked interviews in the other article spoke of adding a sense of urgency which might make for a more mass-appeal, but it seems contrary to the slow pace of the book which allowed a great deal of character and environmental development.

Here Today! - Feb 05, 2008 - 09:21am
To add to Hobbs note, I'll say that there is some good stuff on the Memento SE discs... but if you are not a masochist, the menu format is a PAIN IN THE ASS! Oh yeah, sure - it's fun at first, but after a few minutes, you will be that DVD's bitch unless you have some well explained directions on-hand.

Here Today! - Feb 05, 2008 - 07:11am
Big Trouble in Little China (two disc) Spec. Ed. - got it, love it, only paid $10 for it. And I'd swear I've seen those still for sale in stores in my area for the same price. Anyone want me to check?

Paramount Confirms CLOVERFIELD 2 - Jan 31, 2008 - 11:24am
Maxgremlin, PopularGirl crapped on this film long before it was released. Don't feed the troll, however pretty she might claim to be.

The Best of Anime, Sort Of (Part Two) - Jan 31, 2008 - 09:18am
Damnit, Nadia! Now I want some pie! Alright... I'm having rib eye tonight and watching some Bebop. Anyone is welcome to come over, but you must bring pie. Pumpkin, apple, chocolate, key-lime and chess are best. Any crumbles or cobblers are acceptable as well. Hell, just bring about any dessert. Good list though.

Paramount Confirms CLOVERFIELD 2 - Jan 31, 2008 - 08:09am
Hanso, I agree with wiseguy - it wasn't Spartans or Rambo, it was Spartans AND Rambo, a one-two punch for the younger and relatively older, respectively. Such an interruption could spell doom for any word of mouth that it had, but it's possible it could actually have an upswing with only The Eye as new genre competition, which as of yet, has zero reviews on rottentomatoes. Maybe the first weekend was all hype, but aside from (and perhaps in spite of) warnings on the possibility of nausea-enducing camera movement, critical reviews were on the positivie side of average and even better when you conisder it's a big monster flick. #1 will make a little more money from here and if they spend the same cash on #2 and only get half numbers they'll still make money on that one as well. Personally, I enjoyed the first one thoroughly, and the shakiness didn't bother me at all. A different style for the second would be welcome, especially if it occurs on the same night -- maybe an influence from Aliens... follow a squad of troops fighting the big baddie and the little things that fell off it.

Jimmy Bennett is Young Kirk in STAR TREK - Jan 30, 2008 - 03:09pm
No lister, unfortunately that would remark on the positive aspects. I think it will be more of a "Tastes Filling / Less Great" chant.

Y: THE LAST MAN Trilogy Coming? - Jan 30, 2008 - 12:58pm
Steering away from the actor to the writer... I found this on CNN -- I didn't know BKV wrote for Lost, too. http://www.cnn.com/2008/SHOWBIZ/books/01/30/brian.vaughan/index.html

Y: THE LAST MAN Trilogy Coming? - Jan 30, 2008 - 10:26am
Agreed. Reynolds looks spot on. I don't think he looks too old by any means.

Y: THE LAST MAN Trilogy Coming? - Jan 30, 2008 - 08:10am
I'm a big fan of Y: the Last Man (even if the reason behind the "plague" was a bit of a stretch); it's one of the only books I have followed committedly since going cold turkey from the X-Men explosion a decade ago. Well drawn, good story, great characters. Honestly, I don't know Shia well enough, but I don't see him as Yorick. But then, I don't know who would be the perfect pick... Maybe he can do a good job with Y's mannerisms; I'll try not to prejudge. [shrug] It'll be interesting to see who they pick for 355, but whoever she is, she needs to be able to kick some major ass. I'm glad to see them moving forward with this film, but a trilogy might be a bit much. Perhaps they're trying to cover a lot of the 5 year series, of which personally, I am all in favor. I just don't know that without a large fan base (like Lord of the Rings) whether they'll be able to make the first film stand alone enough to intrigue the general audience to wait for parts two and three.

WB Planning Tie-in Bonanza for SPEED RACER - Jan 27, 2008 - 09:30am
"...Mexican snack-food maker Bimbo" I don't want any Mexican food called Speed Racer.

11 Movies Saved by Historical Inaccuracy - Jan 25, 2008 - 09:10am
I think part of the intended humor - especially as the list continues and should point to a film that really strives to portray actual history - is that some of the movies shouldn't really be on the list. Don't worry, I didn't get it at first either. I'm just glad that Cloverfield and Blair Witch didn't make the list, because you know anything filmed with a camcorder is actually a documentary. ;-p

Milo Ventimiglia Joins Heist in ARMORED - Jan 25, 2008 - 08:30am
When will we see Skeet Ulrich - Johnny Depp play brothers? Really, were they split apart as children or what? :-)

Ryan Gosling as JACK RYAN? - Jan 25, 2008 - 08:28am
I really like Ryan; I think he's a versatile actor, but I'm not sure this is his role. Much like Tom Hanks in The DaVinci Code. Lars and the Real Girl - Hanso (and others) if you like dry, dysfunctional family dramedy, then Lars is for you. I found it to be hilarious and a friend of mine who went with me who normally doesn't like them (or so she claims) laughed more than I did. But if you have never been able to relate to depression or social anxiety, you may just not get it.

Bond 22 Has a New 'Quantum' Title - Jan 25, 2008 - 07:04am
It's a bit artsy/brainy sounding, but it's fine with me. And, thanks to my non-Mania sweetie who just happened to pass the info to me :)

Bowers Ready to Helm ASTROBOY - Jan 25, 2008 - 07:01am
Dazzler, I can hear Herbert - that creepy old dude from Family Guy - now with his sing-song voice... "Oh Astroboy. Why don't you "glide" over here and give me a hand." [shudder]

Update: Ledger's Autopsy Is Inconclusive - Jan 24, 2008 - 01:35pm
Thanks maxgremlin. I figured it probably came from somewhere. As I'm not an avid Batman reader, I must have crossed that one by dumb luck unless it's in a common TPB which I (again) just happened to thumb through. [edit note: "No Man's Land" arc (Detective Comics# 741)]

Anime's Best, Sort Of (Part One) - Jan 24, 2008 - 12:55pm
gauley... please note the lack of numbers 1 through 4, above, and the reference in the final sentence. But I'm with ya, if Bebop doesn't make the top 4, I'll ask Ed to fix that. Side question: This article is currently located in the Books section... Am I missing something?

Gilliam's PARNASSUS Shut Down for Now - Jan 24, 2008 - 12:17pm
Best wishes to Terry... he has had some bad luck with making movies. And agreed gladatir, some of his movies require several watchings to finally appreciate/comprehend - one exception for me being Twelve Monkeys; I've enjoyed every viewing.

Update: Ledger's Autopsy Is Inconclusive - Jan 24, 2008 - 07:30am
Wiseguy, I think we have more empathy for Heath than other deaths in the news because we "see" the guy, even if it is only in movies, behind the scenes footage, a couple news clips and a few late night interviews. We feel that we know the guy, when we really do not know him. I don't get teary over every death, and it isn't just actors deaths that touch me. But I love film, and I suppose I empathize more when someone I recognize in the film industry passes that has touched me with their art. Heck, when Phil Hartman died, I cried some serious tears. So why Heath and not some actors? Some liked his acting and now we won't see any new material - a tad selfish, but true. But from what we know - I'll say it again - he was a class act and successful, and I'm willing to be most of us would have traded places with him in a heart beat. Not to say he's perfect; he isn't. But I cannot think of one bad thing about the guy. So in a way, maybe we feel we're losing a hero or a tiny part of ourselves. Still you're right - the fact that he was playing The Joker (and even more so that it hasn't been released yet, which will make viewing the film a bit eerie) drives this home for us genre fans that much more, but as I mentioned above, I don't think that is the only reason this touches us so. You're right again, people do have their priorities out of order; however, that was one of my points in my last post. I am glad these things touch me so, because they DO remind me of what is important in my life. Hopefully, we all will take a moment to reflect on what is important in our lives and do something about it so that when we go from this world, people (even if only a handful) will be saddened by our passing but will be better overall that we had touched their lives. Peace to all.

Update: Ledger's Autopsy Is Inconclusive - Jan 23, 2008 - 09:58am
I think one reason this touches me is that from what I know, I liked the guy. He was a class act and good at what he did. I, and I bet many of you, would have traded places with him in a heart beat. I don't know him personally, and yet I wish I did. Being that I have the emotional armor of single-ply balsawood and that I love film, I admittedly get weepy when the Oscars do the obituary segment. So, I must say that this really yanked at my heart. But personally, these little moments are good for me - little wake-up calls if you will - to remind me about what is important. Lastly, I just keep seeing this vision in my head of The Joker (drawn version) witnessing a death and for once trying to figure out, "Why isn't this one funny?!" and then him walking away, actually sad. Maybe it's based on a memory of something similar, but it kept tugging at me, so I thought I'd share it. To Heath, one cool dude, may you rest in peace.

Update: Ledger's Autopsy Is Inconclusive - Jan 22, 2008 - 02:58pm
Same here shogunpimp... I was literally stunned. And it is a shame - for everyone, for him, and especially for his daughter. This sucks.

First INDY Trailer Hits Theaters Feb 14 - Jan 21, 2008 - 09:12am
Flint, that's a bold statement. Miso no tinks anyone compair wit da Binks.

Cloverfield Manga: Last Minute Hype - Jan 17, 2008 - 06:51am
Well, that (unpredictability) at least is good news. Would you care to comment on the quality of the film? Was the shaky cam too prevalent?

Christopher Nolan Talks DARK KNIGHT - Jan 16, 2008 - 07:59am
Raa2001, not all of us were against Heath at the beginning; there were a couple of us that wanted people to give him a shot or who were at the very least holding judgement. But the vocal opinions definitely are more positive than at the beginning.

Myriad, Studio 407 Adapting HYBRID Comic - Jan 16, 2008 - 07:53am
Dead Calm meets The Host