I apologize in advance for the fact that I’m composing this round-up while watching TV, by which I mean I’m letting cable vomit up whatever it wants while I sit here and let it wash over my floor. For instance, did you know that Famke Janssen once guest starred on “Star Trek: The Next Generation”? I mean, it’s a predictably stupid episode, but come on. Famke Janssen!
Speaking of TV, Michael Vartan and David Cross are going to play “bitter tire store rivals,” according to THR, in a comedy called Demoted. Vartan will play a cool guy, Cross will play a nerd, and oh will the hijinks ensue when Cross gets a promotion and takes his years of anger out on Vartan. We all know Cross is a gifted comedian — I just blue myself thinking about all his classic bits — but can Vartan even be funny? I don’t mean like blooper reel on the last disc of “Alias” funny; I mean full-on hilarious. Is that possible? I don’t know. And I’m not sure that Demoted is even the place to find out: It’s going to be directed by J.B. Rogers, “best known” for American Pie 2, from a script by Dan Callahan, whose previous claim to fame was his turn as Jazz Club Musician in Spider-Man 3. Godspeed, felllas.
OK, this I have to share: There’s a really bad sci-fi show on called “Jeremiah,” and it stars Luke Perry and Malcolm-Jamal Warner. I know that sounds like a completely made-up show, something you would create in Balderdash, but I shit thee not. It’s real. It’s set in some kind of postapocalyptic near-future; honestly, it’s too bad to spend much effort deciphering. But get this: The villain in this episode is a cult leader played by Jason Priestley. I’ll give you a minute to pick up the scattered pieces of the mind I just blew.
Moving on: Tobey Maguire is set to star in Universal’s The Crusaders, which is actually not a comic book adaptation. It’s a drama about the 1954 Brown v. Board of Education case, and Maguire will play Jack Greenberg, a young lawyer on the side of the NAACP. In a weird bit of reunion, the film will be directed by Gary Ross, who helmed Pleasantville, and written by Danny Strong, who had a bit role in that movie, as well.
Well, shit: Autumn lost out on MTV’s “Legally Blonde: The Search for the Next Elle Woods.” She totally had the better voice.
And everything else isn’t worth talking about. At all. You wanna hear about IFC Films’ Ping-Pong Playa? Didn’t think so.
First up in this morning’s trailer watch is the teaser for Watchmen that went out attached to The Dark Knight; I’m including it here for the few of you who live overseas or else just didn’t make it to the theater over the weekend. Director Zack Snyder (300) is still in love with that whole everything-suddenly-goes-slo-mo thing, it appears. The film’s look is definitely right, but of course, nothing could match the psychological complexity and narrative urgency of the graphic novel, which is one of the best ever written. Anyway, here you go:
Here’s the clip for How to Lose Friends & Alienate People. I’m not sure that Simon Pegg can save it:
Daniel Carlson is the managing editor of Pajiba and a low-level employee at a Hollywood industry magazine. You can visit his blog, Slowly Going Bald.
Well, Watchmen is looking promising, but I can't help feeling I'm going to be sorely disappointed once I see it.
Posted by: vic at July 22, 2008 7:03 AM
Dr Manhattan looks gorgeous. I'd totally go gay for that shiny blue bastard.
But yes, vic. Disappointment on some level almost inevitable.
Posted by: Zuffle at July 22, 2008 7:14 AM
Michael Vartan was funny when he guest starred on Kitchen Confidential, but that writer/director combination looks... less than promising.
Posted by: deena at July 22, 2008 7:22 AM
It looks like Zack Snyder at least honestly cares about what he's doing. So, even if it isn't perfect, at least he payed some damn attention.
It's not LXG. Which doesn't sound like much praise, but this is Hollywood.
... and I will likely watch Simon Pegg do anything. And Spaced is out today! Yay!
Posted by: twig at July 22, 2008 7:24 AM
Saw trailers for Jeremiah avout 3 years ago on national television, never dared to watch it tho they kept showing it for a year or so. Old news considering I live in Romania. Even older for hip people like youself. Or was it the abomination of it all that gave it a fresh flavor of Pajiba-worth-mentioning-ness?
Posted by: Irina at July 22, 2008 7:26 AM
I'm still hopeful about Watchmen. I think the comic is far too complex to really nail it in 2.5 hours on screen. Some stuff is just going to have to be cut, which will disappoint.
The look is fantastic. They really seem to have left no details out and have captured some of the comic panels perfectly.
Dr. Manhattan looks as good as he could, I think. They did a good job putting him on screen. It could have ended up looking very, very bad.
I really don't think Watchmen needs too much of that "everything-suddenly-goes-slo-mo thing" during action sequences. While it worked really well for "300", since it was a very stylized piece about 300 bad ass dudes kicking a lot of ass, I always thought the action sequences for Watchmen should be far less stylized and far more brutally real. The story isn't about bad asses kicking ass in a ballet of death and carnage (like 300), but more about real people "playing" super hero. Sure, they kick ass, but it should be a bit more of a struggle and a bit less... elegant.
The only other nit, and it is a nit, is that I am still not sure about having Dan and Laurie still looking so young, fit and hot. Their slightly out of shape/just reaching the over-the-hill always seemed pretty important to the story. So long as the actors can pull off the characters, it's something I can overlook.
Still, based on everything I've read and seen to date, I remain quite hopeful.
Even if it doesn't turn out as great as it could, I wont be that torn up about it. It will be cool to see the characters and story alive on screen. I can't seeing it being so bad that it tarnishes the original material at all.
Posted by: ajax19 at July 22, 2008 7:36 AM
So, in a movie about Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, we're going to focus on a supporting, white lawyer.
Countdown to outcry begins in 3...2...1....
Posted by: London Associate at July 22, 2008 7:39 AM
Just wanted to point out something of interest...
The song playing in the Watchmen trailer is "The End is the Beginning is the End" by the Smashing Pumpkins, taken from the OST of Batman and Robin.
Hmmm, guess something good came out of that film, after all.
Posted by: Nevermore at July 22, 2008 7:46 AM
Despite being at least a casual comic book fan, I've somehow managed to avoid ever letting a single panel of Watchmen pass before my eyes, so the teaser trailer just made me think 'Wow, that looks cool.' My housemate, on the other hand (the one that makes bizarre foodstuffs that I'm convinced will one day form the basis of a new lifeform), loves the original comic, and has watched that teaser with an eagle-eyed intensity, almost daring Snyder to fuck something up. He hasn't found anything yet.
Posted by: Dill The Devil at July 22, 2008 7:47 AM
Wait, I thought the song was "The Beginning is the End is the Beginning". WTF. I keep hearing conflicting things about the song name.
Anyway, I'm not gonna lie. I might have creamed my pants a little when I saw this trailer.
Posted by: monkey_b at July 22, 2008 7:56 AM
Hmmm...Watchmen looks incredible, I'll give it that much, but here's hoping it can use some of the source's complexity. Fuck it, I have high hopes, even is it is opening in March.
I mean, it's a predictably stupid episode, but come on. Famke Janssen!
Well said, Daniel.
I don't think Vartan is good at much besides looking pretty. (And I personally don't think he's so good at that either, but to each their own.)
Posted by: Gabs at July 22, 2008 8:24 AM
(sharp intake of breath)
jeremiah... you don't like jeremiah? and I come here to confirm my movie/tv snobbery, blows my mind. I loved that show, yet another comic book adaptation, that and his stint on oz got luke perry off my shit list, mind you he has gravitated back towards it. But on the 90210 front, what is it with Lucille Bluth on the new show? Now THAT is how you get rid of any goodwill that arrested development has given you... I have now watched the Watchman trailer about 37 times, and had to put my underwear in the wash each time, my only hope is that the film is about 4 hours long to get all the details in
Posted by: tj at July 22, 2008 8:24 AM
Aaah, just Googledthe song to get my facts straight, the song is actually "The Beginning is the End is the Beginning", a remix of the aforementioned song.
Posted by: Nevermore at July 22, 2008 8:30 AM
I feel like I saw Michael Vartan in something once where he was funny. I think he'll be fine as long as someone feeds him a sandwich occasionally; last time I saw that guy he was seriously manorexic, which is a shame because he did used to be quite pretty (IMO). Anyway, David Cross is so awesome it'll be worth watching just for him. (Was it you Pajiba people that posted a link to that "(Something something) Drugachusetts" thing on Youtube? That thing cracked my sh*t up.)
Why don't I know that Danny Strong had a bit part in Pleasantville?? I love him! Guess I'll have to watch it again...
I am not only one of the three people in the country who hasn't seen The Dark Knight yet, I'm also one of the 20 who hasn't read Watchmen... I've told myself sternly, "Self, you have 7 and a half months to get on that. And you'd better." And so I shall. I don't want to get in trouble. (Maybe in the meantime I can also find Jeremiah, 'cause frankly, that sounds awesome. I mean come on, Luke Perry, Malcolm Jamal-Warner, and Jason Priestly!?)
Posted by: Anastasia Beaverhausen at July 22, 2008 8:57 AM
Jumping on the Jeremiah defense... that was an awesome show! First though, you really need to see it on DVD, because it aired on showtime and I can't imagine the Sci-Fi channel edit being any good.
Second, the first couple episodes do take a little bit to get going, setting up the pieces, but when it does... maybe it wouldn't qualify for the best Seasons of the last 20 years, but definatly should be some of the best episodes of tv ever produced
Posted by: Trek Barnes at July 22, 2008 9:12 AM
For those of you who haven't read Watchmen and have Tunes, they are putting out semi-animated episodes of each issue of the Watchmen.
They animate the comic panels and there is voice acting, music, sounds, etc. It's read by only one guy (like an audio book), so the voice acting ranges from ok to poor (i.e., Laurie sounds a bit like a transvestite.)
You can download the first issue on iTunes. They are free.
Anyone who hasn't read the comic, it /is/ the comic, so it's a great way to "read" it for free.
Enjoy.
Posted by: ajax19 at July 22, 2008 9:12 AM
Oops. I meant to say and have iTunes.
It's called Watchmen motion comics.
You can find it here:
TV Shows > Sci Fi & Fantasy > Watchmen > Watchmen Motion Comic.
Posted by: ajax19 at July 22, 2008 9:15 AM
Man, ya'll don't know. Michael Vartan is hilarious. He played Mr. Coulson in Never Been Kissed, cuz he was cool, son. In Monster-In-Law he literally left for half of the movie, wouldn't you? Let's not forget his best work to date, Dead Man's Curve. It's about killing people...and grading curves. You see what they did there? Comedy. Let that marinate in your brain recepticles. Worry not about the Vartan, I just hope poor David Cross can keep up.
Posted by: jM at July 22, 2008 9:22 AM
Ack! Christian Bale was arrested in London on suspicion of assault!
And I have not read Watchmen either. Leave me alone.
Posted by: Kolby at July 22, 2008 9:25 AM
Wow, I happened to watch part of that same episode of Star Trek last night, when my daughter bumped the remote from A&E to SciFi. And yes, I know what ridiculous show was on A&E at that particular time slot, but my wife was watching it, not me.
Posted by: Snath at July 22, 2008 9:26 AM
I just read about the arrest, Kolby. WTF, Mr. Bale?! I hope it's just a misunderstanding.
Posted by: Nika at July 22, 2008 9:47 AM
Michael Vartan and David Cross are going to play "bitter tire store rivals," according to THR, in a comedy called Demoted.
Look it, Mr. Vartan. I have watched an impressive number of your bad movies and tv shows, including that abomination known as season 5 of Alias. You are pretty and can do good work. Will you do some already? NOW!?
I have not read Watchmen. My reading list is already at 25 books and counting.
The Smashing Pumpkins song from the trailers is the remix of the original. There were two versions on the soundtrack. Please don't ask me how I know that.
Posted by: Melody at July 22, 2008 9:58 AM
"There's a really bad sci-fi show on called "Jeremiah," and it stars Luke Perry and Malcolm-Jamal Warner."
Hey man, harsh! My hubster loves that show, for reals! :D
(We'll keep this painful incident between us, to spare his feelings.)
Posted by: Loob at July 22, 2008 10:03 AM
Shit, I just read about the arrest too, not more then five minutes ago. Why, Christian? You play Batman...you're not really him, you know.
I've only read snippets of Watchmen, but I was always the hugest fan of the concept. And Alan Moore is a god in the comic world. I definately need to pick it up as fast as possible, cuz I was already peeing a little on watching the trailer. And seeing it three times this morning before heading to work did not help my attendance record. I'm an iTunesie, ajax19...I'm definately gonna have to check those animated ones out. Thank you!
Posted by: Shadows of Dakaron at July 22, 2008 10:03 AM
Please don't ask me how I know that.
Only good thing to come out of an otherwise unsalvagable abomination of a 'movie'?
Posted by: twig at July 22, 2008 10:03 AM
nice film,i also saw many good films on ::::::::M e e t i n g W e a l t h y.c o m:::::::::it's a nice club where there are many film fans. if you go there,you'll know what i mean----so wonderful-----
The spambot is learning, studying us, adapting. Soon it'll be promising Nathan Fillion playing scrabble in a vat of taco dip! This is the end, isn't it? And I never got to see Paris...
Hilton's head on a spit... while rabid pandas violate her body.
Posted by: jM at July 22, 2008 10:23 AM
I think Michael Vartan can be funny, he was pretty great in an episode of Kitchen Confidential where he played a neighboring French chef. Yes I watched that show, and YES I like it.
I've never read Watchmen, but god damn does the movie sounds freaking cool.
Posted by: Julie at July 22, 2008 10:23 AM
Stupid typos! I blame the panda raping, it's distracting.
Posted by: Julie at July 22, 2008 10:30 AM
I just think the spambot has become one of us, jM. Rather than infecting us with its perverted man on robot desires, we've corrupted it with our actor/actress fetishes. It just wants some for itself!
Next thing you know, it'll go see TDK and post how much it loved it when the Joker went to www.insaneclownsneedlove.com and hooked up with a batgirl impersonator...
Posted by: Shadows of Dakaron at July 22, 2008 10:30 AM
...wait...why would the panda raping be distra...oh...oh...I'm intrigued...
Posted by: Shadows of Dakaron at July 22, 2008 10:34 AM
Seriously, jM needs to stop putting those images in my head...instead of baby bunnies and communion wafers and Lady Lovely Locks dolls my mind is swirling with thoughts of the molestation of a majestic Chinese bear.
Oh, I'm seeing The Dark Knight tonight with Jodester! I would do a happy dance, but I'm so exhausted that it would look more like a mildly pleased flailing of the limbs.
Posted by: Julie at July 22, 2008 10:45 AM
Seriously, jM needs to stop putting those images in my head...instead of baby bunnies and communion wafers and Lady Lovely Locks dolls...
I don't even want to know what you had those Lovely Locks dolls doing to those baby bunnies with communion wafers, in your head. Hmmm...I thought I smelled burnt toast.
Posted by: jM at July 22, 2008 10:57 AM
I'd be more worried about who's corrupting who if I weren't so busy looking for a video camera...
Posted by: Shadows of Dakaron at July 22, 2008 11:02 AM
Wow--was that Der Fledermaus in "The Watchmen"? Well, American Maid's suit sure has gotten skimpier. And where was her feather duster?
Posted by: wsapnin at July 22, 2008 11:04 AM
Watchmen looks interesting, though I have never read the original. Like The Wire and countless other cool stuff, it's on my list of things to catch up with if I'm ever bed-bound for six months....
Ooh, Danny Strong is getting his write on - first Recount, now The Crusaders? Yay Jonathan!
Posted by: Tarn at July 22, 2008 11:06 AM
I, too, was going to mention Vartan's humourous appearance in the episode of Kitchen Confidential... I'm glad I'm not the only one who watched it!!!
Posted by: Caro at July 22, 2008 11:10 AM
Yay! I feel like less of a dumbass now, Caro :)
Posted by: Julie at July 22, 2008 11:17 AM
I'll probably download those Watchmen episodes, ajax, but it will not stop my book loving self from wanting to actually read it. Reading is different from watching, it's why I can never get too upset about screen adaptations, it's not even the same thing to begin with.
And now I'm leaving before my pure, innocent self becomes tainted with whatever the other Pajibans are cooking up. Shame on all of you.
I was surprised yesterday to see that they're giving "Watchmen" an IMAX version too. But I'm not complaining. Regarding the character ages, I'd been thinking the same thing, but the new EW article talks about the guy playing Dan growing himself a pot belly. So...who knows? Maybe what we've seen is mostly "the old days" when they were in their prime.
That was in "Batman and Robin"? Hmm. Well, I've always had a slight soft spot for the movie due to how much I love George as Bruce Wayne. He just looks so damn good doing it too. I remember when ER came back that fall as he was about to leave there was a scene of him getting mad at Julianna Margulies while wearing a black turtleneck in low light and it was like "yes! this is what we needed!". I still have a magnet on my refrigerator of him in his Bruce tuxedo.
Oh and yeah I think I put in the Altered States of Drugachusetts link when someone was talking about the Kroffts. Glad you liked it, Anastasia!
It's not LXG.
Oh boy. Talk about a lot of "wwwwwwwhy are they doing that?....Huh?!....but you don't need to add or change anything!....Whaa??"
Someone please tell me this is an elaborate joke...
Christian Bale was arrested for assaulting his mom and sister? WTF?
I hope this is cleared up as soon as fucking possible.
Posted by: Nevermore at July 22, 2008 11:44 AM
It's nice to see that there are others like me - people who haven't read Watchmen. Don't get me wrong - I want to read it - I just haven't had the time. Every time I hit a Graphic Novel Section, I'm distracted by about twenty different things.
One day...
And opposed to what far too many gossip blogs/review sites have to say, I think Dunst is a fox. And if anyone wants to meet me in the alley behind 7-11 to tie wrists together and knife fight over it, so be it. Keep the blade away from Minimus though - you so much as nick him, I'm switching from knife-fight to taser, followed by curb-stomping and humiliating urination.
Posted by: Skittimus Maximus at July 22, 2008 11:47 AM
You're so protective of your little brother.
Posted by: Shadows of Dakaron at July 22, 2008 11:51 AM
It's nice to see that there are others like me - people who haven't read Watchmen.
Don't worry, Skitt, outside of the "geek community", I believe that you are in a very comfortable majority of folks. Despite the amount of praise the series has received over the years and the whole "best graphic novel" ever statements (which are true), I really don't think the vast majority of people out there have ever read it and I am pretty sure there are quite a few of general public who've never even heard of it.
Posted by: ajax19 at July 22, 2008 11:51 AM
I don't know, I guess How To Lose Friends doesn't look thattttt bad. Anything will be better than Big Nothing. Terrible. Somebody needs to write that guy an open letter.
Posted by: SR at July 22, 2008 11:52 AM
Christian Bale accused of assault?!??!?!
Posted by: coveredinbees at July 22, 2008 11:59 AM
I love how it's "From the Visionary Director of 300". What is visionary about taking a bunch of beefcakes, oiling them up and having them prance around in loin cloths? Chippendales has been doing that for thirty years.
Posted by: EricD at July 22, 2008 11:59 AM
Hee. Now I've got Chris Farley and The Swayz dancing in my head.
Posted by: Julie at July 22, 2008 12:02 PM
Don't go knocking my previous employer EricD. That corporation has got a heart of gold...
Too bad they're not fans of back hair though...
Posted by: Skittimus Maximus at July 22, 2008 12:02 PM
Julie, that was one of the best moments in the history of television. Changed my whole opinion of Patrick Swayze to see he had such a good sense of humor. I am glad he is doing pretty good with his cancer treatment.
Hey Skitt, I'm not knocking it. Anything that gets the ladies engines reved up is fine with me. But I assume the heart of gold is the new corporation, not the old one whos owner tried to hire a hitman and then hung himself in prison. (i love the wiki)
Posted by: EricD at July 22, 2008 12:10 PM
I'm having a pretty good visionary of oiled up beefcakes prancing about in loincloths, so I don't know what you're talking about, EricD. (Although Julie's not helping out with the Farley talk...)
And I guess i owe you some thanks for that link, Jay. Funny funny stuff. Although, you almost got me in trouble at work.... yes, that's right, I'm blaming you. :P
Damn. Now I want to go to B&N on my lunch hour and pick up Watchmen. You people are costing me a fortune! (Because again, I'm blaming strangers for my behavior....)
Posted by: Anastasia Beaverhausen at July 22, 2008 12:23 PM
Well, showing my age, I have read "The
Watchmen", back when DC first serialized it
here on these shores. And I have since bought
about 20 copies of the graphic novel to give
to friends, esp. the ones who poo-poo-ed comics.
I am awaiting the movie with equal parts
wonder and dread.
Oh, and I always thought NPH was kinda cute, but
after Dr. Horrible, I am his bitch.
Posted by: Drake at July 22, 2008 12:28 PM
That's right, I'm a one-man Project Mayhem. For all I know someone's watched all the Brad Neely clips I've linked to too.
"Watchmen" is most likely in your local library, but...now that the trailer's hit...oh yeah, 21 requests and no available copies in my system. Go, you bitter old failures, GO! And dammit, my copy appears to be in North Carolina along with my "Marvels" and Transmetropolitan trades, and someone else has my "The Dark Knight Returns". This is intolerable!
What is visionary about taking a bunch of beefcakes, oiling them up and having them prance around in loin cloths?
A $210 million dollar gross.
Posted by: twig at July 22, 2008 1:07 PM
Sigh, Michael Vartan is so cute but he really needs to get some better roles. He can kind of act, right? Right? OK, a little bit. Well, he's not a complete moron.
And I'm disappointed by the preview for "How to Lose Friends & Alienate People." Gillian Anderson was in there for about half a second and her name wasn't even in the credits. For shame! FOR SHAME! She gets no love and she is a terrific actress.
Posted by: Agent Scully at July 22, 2008 1:09 PM
Yep, my entire county has a linked library system, and damn near every copy is checked out (except for the ones that are ridiculously far from me and/or in really seedy areas where you're like "Really? They have a library there? Fat lot of good it does me, I'll likely get killed in a drive by stabbing before I make it in the door"). Checked my college library, too, on the off chance, but no, also gone. *sigh* looks like I'll be spending that money after all... At least it'll be worth it.
Posted by: Anastasia Beaverhausen at July 22, 2008 1:31 PM
Yeap, London Associate, there will be a comment on the Crusaders, cause, gee, nothing is really interesting on screen unless we put white people in it as the heroes.
Posted by: KHIA213 at July 22, 2008 1:43 PM
I just bought Watchmen from Amazon for $10. Much less expensive than recovering from one of those drive-by stabbings, Ms. Beaverhausen.
Posted by: MN_Jen at July 22, 2008 1:43 PM
Ok, I'll say it. I was really hoping that Famke Janssen would play Silk Spectre Jr. I mean...right? Instead they've got who-the-fuck-is-that-anyway. Geez. She's too young and she looks like she's going for a goth look which is just absurd. Also...Ozymandias...Jason Lewis. Gah! I really hope it's not going to suck. Hey does anyone know if someone is going to re-make LXG so that we can pretend the first one never happened? Like the Hulk.
Posted by: Joker at July 22, 2008 2:09 PM
Oh holy fucking pandas! I just googled the chick playing Silk Spectre Jr. and she was in "Witchblade". Did you guys watch that? It was awesome...ly bad...in a good way though. Oh and she was on a show called "Love Monkey". If you'll excuse me, I have some youtube-ing to do. *Monkey porn! Yay!*
Posted by: Joker at July 22, 2008 2:11 PM
The Watchmen trailer looks uber-cool, but why do these movie trailers always have to declare: "Everything you know will change". Sorry, but it never does. Stop with that stupid proclamation movie trailer people.
Michael Vartan funny? Did he even crack a smile during Alias? He always looked like he had a painful shit on the way, which was actually useful for the role I suppose.
Posted by: Cindy at July 22, 2008 2:37 PM
What is visionary about taking a bunch of beefcakes, oiling them up and having them prance around in loin cloths?
Shame on you for failing to see the genius behind this masterpiece. For shame. It is very hard to work with that much shirtless-ness and baby oil. Your costume designer is very busy perfecting their meticulous loin cloth work. With all of the baby oil, you have to watch out for dangerous spills and workplace related accidents. You will also have to keep the female and gay men on set happy enough so that you can film the scenes. The on-site gym must be well stocked and clean so that the actors can stay in "beefcake" shape. Plus, the management and clean up of the fake blood and the constant cleaning of the shiny weapons?
It was really a very difficult movie to film, I am sure of that. It was also a visionary amount of shiny weapons, men, and scores of fake blood.
I think I will have to watch it again tonight.
Posted by: Melody at July 22, 2008 2:45 PM
I think I would like to watch Melody watching 300.
Posted by: EricD at July 22, 2008 5:37 PM
Oh and she was on a show called "Love Monkey".
It was an okay novel, which had a definite arc and conclusion, so I have no idea how it was going to work as a series, but then most of the book's environment was apparently dropped and the show died quickly anyway. Poor Tom Cavanaugh.
I'll credit "Watchmen" exactly for casting un-and-little-knowns, and that's the stated point as well.
Whether they're good or not we'll see. Hey, no one knew who Christoper Reeve was.
I am still not sure about having Dan and Laurie still looking so young, fit and hot.
YES--exactly what I was thinking, Jay. And Ozymandias as anything less than an Aryan Nation posterboy is wack. I think the movie will miss the point of the comic entirely. Do not want.
Posted by: ohgrl at July 22, 2008 5:54 PM
I think the movie will miss the point of the comic entirely.
Despite the nit about Dan and Laurie's appearance (though apparently the actor gained a lot of weight for the role, so we'll see), I really don't fear that this movie will miss "the point of the comic entirely."
Nothing I have read or seen, so far, has indicated that's the case. Despite some cosmetic flaws (I use the term figuratively and literaly), I really think Snyder "gets it" and is doing everything he can to get on screen, as best as possible, what is a incredibly dense, layered, and complex story.
Posted by: ajax19 at July 22, 2008 6:02 PM
Well, that wasn't me, but I had concerns after the first photos came out. But they appear to be handling it correctly.
And, as previously noted, Patrick Wilson put on some weight for his older period. So they're covering the whole span of the history but so far they've only shown us the characters at their peak, which is good to know and now I feel better, having worried they'd streamline it too harshly. Right now it's reported to be at a 3-hour cut and Snyder's having to now do the agonizing part. I'm still on board.
Thanks MN_Jen! Not only is that cheaper than going to my local mall chain bookstore, I can avoid going to the mall! I didn't really think about that, I think because I was in "I need to have it RIGHT NOW" mode.
Posted by: Anastasia Beaverhausen at July 22, 2008 8:12 PM
i am scared as hell about Watchmen.
i know it's "just a comic book", but i have cared about this book's transition to screen more than any movie adaptation of any piece of literature (and mean any) from the moment i was wrapped up by it 20 years ago. i care about this being well done more than i cared about the Star Wars prequel trilogy being good (and i'm a reeeaaally big SW nut. i have the same birthday as A New Hope, fer chrissakes).
but i'm scared. i'm tired of being fucked over. i'm tired of believing in falling for the hype. i'm tired of letting myself get high from giddy anticipation, only to be royally fucked over (did i mention i'm a Star Wars fan? hey, George - fuck. you.). some wounds never heal.
from this moment on i will ignore anything and everything Watchmen-related - no ads, no previews, no teasers, no gossip, no trade news, no reviews... nothing. nada. zip. - until i see the film. i do not want to be influenced. i do not want to be baited. i do not want to be strung along and sucked in only to have my heart ripped out and placed in my hands still beating. i do not want to feel ashamed for liking something that was once great, but has been reduced to being an object of mockery and ridicule.
choke on my fat dick, Lucas.
Posted by: causaubon at July 22, 2008 8:57 PM
on a side note...
Jeff Bridges!
i love the guy. as long as he stays away from "dramatic" roles. he doesn't do brooding, introspective, saving-the-world, emoting types very well.
also,
could Kirsten Dunst have have found her niche? she looks like she fits in perfectly in this film.
Posted by: causaubon at July 22, 2008 9:23 PM
I saw the very episode of "Jeremiah" you mentioned, and Jason Priestley as a nutjob with a savior complex was actually kinda compelling. The show didn't suck terribly, the problem is, it's basically "Dark Angel" without any hot chicks. So, really no reason to exist.
I've never read "Watchmen," have heard of it, of course. Trailer kinda made me want to see it. Looks cool.
Posted by: Slash at July 22, 2008 11:30 PM
I really hope they get Adrian Veidt right. Dr. Manhattan is looking good with his uncaring, half-curious facial expression, but the guy they've cast as Veidt looks like a 15 year old in a Batman costume. You don't screw up the smartest man alive with the ironic name.
Posted by: Lucas at July 23, 2008 3:42 AM
Did they take those Watchmen animated thingies off of iTunes or something? Because I can't find them. Could it have something to do with the fact that I'm Australian and iTunes have sectioned off the good stuff?
I thought Brandon, Dylan and Theo killed themselves a long time ago. Or maybe I was just having a pleasant dream.
Zack Snyder is gonna take Watchmen and slo-mo 10 scenes to create a 4 hour movie. T
Posted by: gamal at July 23, 2008 9:15 AM
Oh my lawd, I can't believe that you just referenced that episode of Star Trek. The Famke Jannsen character was what I aspired to be throughout my young womanhood (for all of you not on the Trek, she plays an impossibly beautiful alien who adapts her entire personality to please the man she's with.)
Needless to say, I dated some awful misogynists.
Posted by: Kiki at July 23, 2008 1:54 PM
My reaction when I saw the "Watchmen" trailer was a combination of "OMG PONIES!!!!" and "Gee, I hope they don't screw this up." They've got the imagery down perfectly, at least, but the inherent problem with Alan Moore's graphic novels is that they are so incredibly complex that it's hard to do them justice on screen. And it doesn't help when they make bizarre shortcuts, such as combining the characters of Fred Abberline and the psychic from "From Hell" and making Johnny Depp be that character...But I digress.
I hope it's good. I really hope it blows us away. The excerpts from "Behind the Mask" were very important to the overall story, so I wonder if they'll work that in somehow. I'm OK with semi-unknowns playing the characters, provided they do it right, because the characters themselves are bigger to me than any celebrities. I hope Rorscharch has the proper amount of creepiness.
If you haven't read it, please do! If you think that comic books are just for 40-year-old virgins who live in their mom's basements, "Watchmen" will get you over that right quick. And I really, really wish the Gunga Diner was a real restaurant. :)
Posted by: Noelegy at July 23, 2008 2:12 PM
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Hm...
Well, Watchmen is looking promising, but I can't help feeling I'm going to be sorely disappointed once I see it.