Hey Geeks, Scott here.

Just wanted to let you all know that I had the pleasure of recording another co-hosting stint on Couch Surfing for John Pavlich’s Sofa Dogs a while back, and the first part of that episode has been posted. So what are you waiting for? Go check it out HERE!

Sofa Dogs Podcast #167 – Couch Surfing Ep. 33a: Critical Mass (Part 1 of 2)

Part one of this two-part episode finds John and Scott ranting and raving about everything from geek culture, to obsessive behavior, to the joys of Netflix Streaming.

00:03:35 – John feels that Whedonesque is not being realized to its fullest potential, and worries that he’s missing out on several news items, at the discretion of some questionable moderation. (UPDATE: The concerns of this issue have since died down considerably, making much of this rant more obsolete than before.)

00:24:11 – Yes, the rant was that long. This leads to another rant, one that’s been discussed before. The Cult of Whedon, and how in some cases, the more overzealous contributors can ruin it for other fans. There is also more talk about the ups and downs of Dollhouse.

00:37:24 – Scott and John share their thoughts on Seasons 1 and 2 of Felicia Day’s award-winning web series, The Guild. Spoilers abound, so beware. The idea of online gaming and the fantasy genre are also discussed.

00:50:57 – When writing creepy, stalker humor, how far is too far?

01:00:52 – Felicia Day has a Celebrity Music Playlist on Canadian iTunes, proving once again that Canada rocks!

01:04:24 – Scott checked out Big Fan through Netflix Watch Instantly. The Wrestler and Patton Oswalt’s star power are also mentioned.

01:15:32 – Scott also watched the off-the-wall “comedy”, Good Dick.

01:23:02 – Finally, Scott closes out the show by discussing the film, World’s Greatest Dad.

The following artists can be heard in this episode:

Kevin Smith, Vampire Weekend, The Submarines, L7, Black Sabbath, Air, Cassettes Won’t Listen, Stereophonics, Headlights, Joshua Radin, Paul Minor, David Guetta & Akon, Metric, The Smiths, Why?, FC Kahuna, Stars, U2, The Weepies, Hem, Belle & Sebastian, Grandaddy and Regina Spektor.

Iron Man 2 – Theatrical Trailer

With the world now aware of his dual life as the armored superhero Iron Man, billionaire inventor Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) faces pressure from the government, the press, and the public to share his technology with the military. Unwilling to let go of his invention, Stark, along with Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow), and James “Rhodey” Rhodes (Don Cheadle) at his side, must forge new alliances — and confront powerful enemies.

Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time – Theatrical Trailer

From the team that brought the Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy to the big screen, Walt Disney Pictures and Jerry Bruckheimer Films present Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, an epic action-adventure set in the mystical lands of Persia. A rogue prince reluctantly joins forces with a mysterious princess and together, they race against dark forces to safeguard an ancient dagger capable of releasing the Sands of Time—a gift from the gods that can reverse time and allow its possessor to rule the world.

The Runaways – Theatrical Trailer

The film follows two friends, Joan Jett and Cherie Currie, as they rise from rebellious Southern California kids to rock stars of the now legendary group that paved the way for future generations of girl bands. Joan and Cherie fall under the Svengali-like influence of rock impresario Kim Fowley, played by Michael Shannon, who turns the group into an outrageous success and a family of misfits. With its tough-chick image and raw talent, the band quickly earns a name for itself—and so do its two leads: Joan is the band’s pure rock n’ roll heart, while Cherie, with her Bowie-Bardot looks, is the sex kitten. Written and directed by Floria Sigismondi, the film chronicles Joan and Cherie’s tumultuous relationship on and off stage, as the band starts to break out.

Robin Hood – Theatrical Trailer

Oscar winner Russel Crowe stars as the legendary figure known by generations as Robin Hood whose exploits have endured in popular mythology and ignited the imagination of those who share his spirit of adventure and righteousness. In 13th century England, Robin and his band of marauders confront corruption in a local village and lead an uprising against the crown that will forever alter the balance of world power. And whether thief or hero, one man from humble beginnings will become an eternal symbol of freedom for his people.

TRON: Legacy – Teaser Trailer

Tron Legacy is a 3D high-tech adventure set in a digital world that’s unlike anything ever captured on the big screen. Sam Flynn, the tech-savvy 27-year-old son of Kevin Flynn (Jeff Bridges), looks into his father’s disappearance and finds himself pulled into the same world of fierce programs and gladiatorial games where his father has been living for 25 years. Along with Kevin’s loyal confidant, father and son embark on a life-and-death journey across a visually-stunning cyber universe that has become far more advanced and exceedingly dangerous.

The Twilight Saga: Eclipse – Teaser Trailer

Bella Swan is reunited with the love of her life (and vampire), Edward Cullen. Her life is back to the way it was before the Cullens’ left, except for one major thing. Before Edward left, Bella had not considered Jacob Black (werewolf) her best friend, and she is in vain trying to make Edward and Jacob to make peace and be friends. She is torn between the love she feels for Edward, and the strong friendship between her and Jacob. Can she make them see sense, and can they be good too each other to keep from hurting Bella?And there’s new dangers lurking around in the corners, Seattle is stalked by massmurders beyond humanity. Who’s behind this, and what connection does it have with Bella?

Discuss all these trailers in the comments below!

Kick-Ass – Theatrical Trailer

Based on the comic series by Mark Millar and John Romita Jr, Kick-Ass is a superhero film like no other. Dave Lizewski, an average teenager and comic-book fanboy, decides to take his obsession as inspiration to become a real-life superhero. Only problem? He doesn’t have any powers. But when your name is Kick-Ass, who needs them?

Clash of the Titans – Theatrical Trailer

Born of a god but raised as a man, Perseus (Worthington) is helpless to save his family from Hades (Fiennes), vengeful god of the underworld. With nothing left to lose, Perseus volunteers to lead a dangerous mission to defeat Hades before he can seize power from Zeus (Neeson) and unleash hell on Earth. Leading a daring band of warriors, Perseus sets off on a perilous journey deep into forbidden worlds. Battling unholy demons and fearsome beasts, he will only survive if he can accept his power as a god, defy his fate and create his own destiny.

Defendor – Theatrical Trailer

Bruised and beaten, arm in a sling, neck in a brace, Arthur Poppington (Woody Harrelson) sits in front of court-appointed psychologist Ellen Park (Sandra Oh). After making her swear to secrecy, Poppington begins to tell the story of his secret life as “Defendor” – yes, that’s an “OR” – spelling is not one of his super powers. By day, Poppington directs traffic around road construction sites, but at night he dons a pair of black tights, a black jersey with a crude “D” duct-taped to his chest, and trawls the streets as his alter ago. As Defendor, Poppington engages in what he believes is a super heroic fight against crime in an attempt to fulfill his unrealized dream of capturing his archrival, Captain Industry – a gun trafficking crime lord who Poppington mistakenly believes is responsible for the death of his mother.  When coming to the aid of Katerina Debrofkowitz (Kat Dennings), an underage prostitute, Defendor tangles with her pimp, Chuck Dooney (Elias Koteas) – a crooked undercover cop. By doing so, Defendor bumbles his way into a criminal underworld, and the stage is set for a showdown with Captain Industry.

The Losers – Theatrical Trailer

An explosive tale of double cross and revenge, The Losers centers upon the members of an elite U.S. Special Forces unit sent into the Bolivian jungle on a search and destroy mission. The team–Clay, Jensen, Roque, Pooch and Cougar–find themselves the target of a lethal betrayal instigated from inside by a powerful enemy known only as Max. Presumed dead, the group makes plans to even the score when they’re joined by the mysterious Aisha, a beautiful operative with her own agenda. Working together, they must remain deep undercover while tracking the heavily-guarded Max, a ruthless man bent on embroiling the world in a new high-tech global war.

A Nightmare on Elm Street – Theatrical Trailer

Freddy Krueger  returns in A Nightmare on Elm Street, a contemporary re-imagining of the horror classic. A group of suburban teenagers share one common bond: they are all being stalked by Freddy Krueger, a horribly disfigured killer who hunts them in their dreams. As long as they stay awake, they can protect one another…but when they sleep, there is no escape.

The Last Airbender – Theatrical Trailer

Air, Water, Earth, Fire. Four nations tied by destiny when the Fire Nation launches a brutal war against the others. A century has passed with no hope in sight to change the path of this destruction. Caught between combat and courage, Aang discovers he is the lone Avatar with the power to manipulate all four elements. Aang teams with Katara, a Waterbender, and her brother Sokka, to restore balance to their war-torn world. Based on the hugely successful Nickelodeon animated TV series, the live-action feature film The Last Airbender is the opening chapter in Aang’s struggle to survive.

Discuss these in the comments section below, and be back tomorrow for more trailer-y goodness!

Next Time: Steven Moffat’s “Coupling”

Talking Points

• Amazon debacle
• The Oscars: So… that happened…
• Zachary Levi directing Chuck
• Smallville renewed for season 10
• NPH is confirmed for Joss Whedon’s Glee episode as the former rival of Mr. Schu
• John Barrowman will have a meeting with the Glee producers about a possible guest stint on the show
• Green Lantern in 3D – June 17, 2011
• New Iron Man 2 trailer
• Portal 2 has been confirmed
• Captain America down to three: John Krasinski, Chase Crawford, and Mike Vogel
• DC Entertainment shake-up: New Management team of publishers Didio and Lee, and new “chief creative officer” Geoff Johns
• The Man of Steel to be written by David Goyer and Jonah Nolan, Chris Nolan producing. Jonah Nolan may direct?
• Chris Nolan interested in directing Justice League sans Batman

Geek Jerk Reaction:

March 19, 2010

The Bounty Hunter, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Repo Men

Next Time: Moffat and The Doctor Part 4 – Silence in the Library/Forest of the Dead

I originally posted this on the online magazine site Murmur… but their article editor was having issues with my pictures. So I’m posting it here as well:

If I Ran Hollywood… is a series of articles in which I take on the role of Producer and not only cast an adaptation of my favorite comic/geek-related properties, but also choose a director, and write out a rough outline of what I think the story should be. Of course I know that even in a perfect world the odds of the stars aligning for any of my “dream projects” to come to fruition are slim to none, making this less “If I Ran Hollywood…” and more “If I Ruled Hollywood With An Iron Fist Of Doom…”, but I digress.

Reboots seem to be all the rage in Hollywood at the moment, so for my first outing I’m going to take a swing at one of my favorite Marvel Comics characters, Daredevil. The 2003 film (from writer/director Mark Steven Johnson) was, in my opinion, one of the biggest disappointments to come out of this new age of comic book movies. Some will without a doubt argue that the Director’s Cut was vastly improved, but I would argue that while I agree it was better, it still wasn’t necessarily good, and it still wasn’t what I want from a Daredevil film.

Daredevil is a character that, if done right, could easily be one of the more accessible superheroes for mainstream audiences. I think that if The Dark Knight did anything, it proved that audiences are extremely interested in street level heroes. Daredevil is definitely at his best when he’s taking down Hell’s Kitchen’s organized criminal element, rather than groups like The Hand who work just fine in the funnybooks, but I just don’t think they’re as easy to swallow on film. Plus, while he technically has superpowers, they don’t have to be a focus at all and can be kept purposefully vague. The fact that Matt Murdock is a blind superhero who has the power to kinda sorta see, isn’t what makes the character interesting. Instead, the focus should be on his inner battle with trying to keep his faith in the the court system, but ultimately wanting justice whether it comes from the sound of a judge’s gavel or at the hands of his vigilante alter-ego. At the end of the day, Daredevil should be a crime story. Period.

THE DIRECTOR

My first instinct for the director’s chair would be Martin Scorcese. Between the mob stuff and the boxing stuff (Battlin’ Jack Murdock flashbacks), he seems like a perfect choice, and it goes without saying he has the talent. But since I didn’t cast Leonardo DiCaprio as Matt Murdock (even though that wouldn’t be the end of the world by any stretch), lets just assume Scorcese wouldn’t be available. He’s almost so perfect it takes out a bit of the fun. So with that in mind, my pick for the filmmaker to bring Daredevil to the big screen would be…

David Fincher (Seven, Fight Club, and Zodiac)

It wasn’t long ago that the director of Fight Club was on the short list for Spider-Man’s theatrical debut (a job that eventually went to Sam Raimi), and while I don’t think that would have necessarily been a good fit, I think Fincher’s gothic-noir style would be great to bring dirty, gritty life to Daredevil. Plus, what’s a hero without a hometown to protect? I can already picture Fincher’s Hell’s Kitchen in all its glory, and I can get why Matt Murdock would feel the need to throw on red tights, grab a billy club, and do whatever it took to protect it from it’s more unsavory elements.

Daredevil isn’t all rooftops and back alleys, however, so he’d have to be able to make the courtroom drama just as exciting as The Man Without Fear’s nightlife exploits. Matt Murdock is a lawyer at the end of the day, and all the best Daredevil stories found a perfect balance between court cases and pounding faces (Yeah, I rhymed. What of it?).Normally, I would have been worried, but with his upcoming film The Social Network, I think we’ll get a better idea of Fincher’s range as a filmmaker, because let’s face it: there’s nothing gritty about Facebook.

THE CAST

Matt Murdock aka Daredevil – Jamie Bamber (Battlestar Galactica and Law&Order: UK)

Every once in a while an actor or actress comes along that is absolutely born to play a particular role. For Daredevil, I believe that actor is Jamie Bamber. Anyone who has seen him as Lee Adama on Battlestar Galactica knows he can already run the gamut from action hero to legal defender through the course of the series. He’s a capable actor who I believe could bring a level of believability and respectability back to the character of Matt Murdock. Its important the audience sympathizes with Matt, and Affleck just couldn’t do it for me (now rather that was Affleck or the script is another story entirely… but regardless, it didn’t work). Daredevil doesn’t kill, that the Punisher’s MO. That was a huge mistake the first film made because I can’t genuinely like a character that is a murderer. At the end of the day, Matt needs to believe in the justice system, not take it into his own hands. That just makes me Judge Dredd, not Daredevil. Many fans have made exclamations of Michael C. Hall (Dexter) or Misha Collins (Supernatural) for the role, and while I genuinely like both actors, I just don’t see either of them as a great Daredevil. For my money, Bamber is pitch perfect.

Franklin “Foggy” Nelson – Patton Oswalt (Big Fan and The King of Queens)

The strongest part of 2003’s Daredevil was easily Jon Favreau as Foggy, so it is unfortunate that in order for a clean break from the ham and cheese of the original film, we really need to recast everyone. Of course, I’m pretty sure Favreau is far too busy counting his Iron Man money to be upset about missing out on playing Foggy Nelson again, so no worries. This brings us to Patton Oswalt, who really has the perfect personality to pull off the character. Foggy is Matt’s anchor to humanity and best friend. He has to be there to point out when/if Matt is taking his exploits as Daredevil too far, regardless of whether he wants to hear it or not. Beyond that, he should also be a subtle means of comic relief in an otherwise dark film. I think Oswalt has proven himself recently with his roles in Big Fan and even Dollhouse that he has the chops to pull off the role perfectly. And best of all? He’s one of us! Total comic book nerd who I truly believe, if a producer offered him the role, he’d never think twice. Besides, who wouldn’t want to be Patton Oswalt’s best friend? (rhetorical. seriously, don’t answer just so you can be “that guy”)

Karen Page – January Jones (Mad Men)

I know that Elektra seems to be the fan favorite for Matt’s love interest, but I gotta be honest, I never really got it. While I can understand the appeal of the a romance between two equals, there’s just something much more interesting about Matt trying to maintain a romantic relationship with someone who isn’t related to all that superhero business. For me, Karen Page was the love of Matt’s life and losing her was always much more tragic. Sure, it was sad when Elekra died, but they both knew it was a possibility because of the life they’ve chosen to lead. I think January Jones will be great to take the role of Karen Page from what most actresses would keep firmly in two-dimensions to a full, well-rounded character. She did the same for Betty Draper on Mad Men, a character who could easily have become a parody of a 60s housewife. Not to mention the simple fact that January’s Betty looks like Tim Sale’s Karen Page from Daredevil: Yellow come to life. As for the darker aspects of the character? I don’t care what continuity says, my Karen Page was never addicted to heroin nor a porn star, and I’m not remotely interested in her ever doing either.

Ben Urich – Enrico Colantoni (Veronica Mars)

I know that this isn’t a conventional choice as he doesn’t particularly resemble the character, but there’s just something about Enrico Colantoni (and especially his portrayal of Keith Mars) that just screams “Ben Urich” to me. When most people do fancasts (which I know is what this whole article essentially is) they seem to focus on outward appearance. This is how you see a TON of wrestlers cast as comic characters, or in the case of Ben Urich: David Caruso. I mean, not for nothing, but the character deserves better than that people… what did he ever do to you? For me, Ben Urich is the best investigative journalist in New York, but he’s not successful because he’s cursed with a moral code. Even though he has every reason in the world to print a story that could make him famous, he won’t do it if it could destroy the life of a good person. This is ultimately the dilemma he’s faced with when he figures out that the blind lawyer from Hell’s Kitchen is also Daredevil. Urich is doomed to be down on his luck, and Colantoni is the first face that comes to mind.

Wilson Fisk aka The Kingpin – Ray Winstone (The Departed and Indiana Jones 4)

Remember when I said people get too wrapped up in physical appearances when casting comic characters? Well, the Kingpin is no exception. The problem, of course, is that Wilson Fisk is a very recognizable character and there really isn’t anyone that fits the bill physically. No one is that big (and before you say it: No, Butterbean cannot play The Kingpin). I think that’s ultimately why the producers went with Michael Clark Duncan, he’s the losest thing they could get to the physical stature and presence needed to pull off the role as its presented in the funnybooks. But here’s the thing: It’s COMIC BOOKS. Its not supposed to be realistic, that why we read them. The Kingpin doesn’t exist, and the best thing you can do is cast someone who can play both respected business man and ruthless mob boss. If he can play the character larger than life, then he will BE larger than life. This brought me to Ray Winstone who has proven that he can play a gangster with ease, and I think his graduation to Kingpin would be a non-issue.

Leland Owlsley aka The Owl – Jack Nicholson (Lots of stuff. He’s Jack Nicholson!)

Leland Owlsley has been (mostly) portrayed as a bit of a joke. From inception, he was essentially a knock-off of another bird fixated villain from Gotham City. So in order to quell that comparison for the film, I thought it would be more interesting if The Owl had the “Kingpin of crime” title at the beginning of the film, eventually losing his role to his right hand man, Wilson Fisk. For the role of a cocky, been there done that Godfather-type, I personally feel that Jack Nicholson fits the role nicely. Plus, I really dig the idea of him being referred to as an “old bird”. He’d just need to play it straight and not try to ham it up like he did as the Joker (Which as long as nobody actually tells Jack that Daredevil is a comic book, he shouldn’t be wiser…).

Mary Walker aka Typhoid Mary – Angela Bettis (May and 2002’s Carrie)

Another character that I think would benefit from a bit of change would be Typhoid Mary. Her character could be super cheesy if done improperly, so the first change would be that Mary Walker is The Owl’s daughter. I know I know, cry sacrilege all you want, but at least hear me out. I see Mary as the daughter of a crime boss who is mousy and constantly talked down to and mistreated. Her “Typhoid” personality comes as a way of coping with a total lack of confidence, while her “Bloody” personality first arrives when she is nearly raped by one of her father’s henchmen. She’s broken for sure, and when I think broken, I think Angela Bettis. Her roles in May and Carrie are exactly what I’ve envision for Mary. She’s a talented actress who not only deserves the exposure, but would be able to believably play all three of Mary’s personalities.

Battlin’ Jack Murdock – Ray Liotta (Goodfellas and Narc)

Jack Murdock would only be in flashbacks of course, but its an important role nevertheless. I like Ray Liotta, and I think he’d be pretty believable as an aging boxer and father. Plus, he looks like he could be one half of Bamber… kind of.

THE PITCH

Movie 1

As the film opens, Daredevil has been around for a few months, just long enough to have become a nuisance to Leland Owlsley, the man running the biggest crime organization in Hell’s Kitchen. Wilson Fisk is his right hand man, mostly due to the fact that he is in a relationship with Owl’s daughter Mary, but Fisk is secretly leading a rival crime family. His plan is to eventually overpower and betray Owlsley and combine the two mobs of Hell’s Kitchen and setting himself up as the Kingpin of the whole shebang (SPOILER! He succeeds…).

Matt Murdock and Foggy have just opened their Nelson and Murdock legal firm after leaving the giant firm they had worked at since graduating law school. Needless to say they’re struggling, taking any case they can. They’re also very unorganized, their office still looking like they just moved in. Karen Page comes by looking for secretarial work, and they explain to her that as much as they want and desperately need a secretary, they just can’t afford it. Karen offers to work for free until they can pay her, she believes that she can improve their business just by keeping them organized and answering their phone. She begins working for them, and of course, her and Matt spark up a relationship much to Foggy’s chagrin who had called “dibs”.

Ben Urich is a reporter for the Daily Bugle. He has an assistant who he usually sticks with whatever stories he doesn’t want. His assistant, a wannabe reporter, keeps telling him that this Daredevil could be the story of his career, but Urich doesn’t buy it. Instead Urich writes a story about Leland Owlsley which he isn’t too happy about. Owl orders his men to teach Urich a lesson. They corner him in an alley and beat him up. Daredevil shows up and saves him. Suddenly, Urich doesn’t think a story about Hell’s Kitchen’s guardian would be too bad an idea. So he begins to investigate Daredevil, and try to figure out his identity.

Mary Walker, Leland Owlsely’s daughter, has had enough abuse (mental and physical) at her father’s hand, and Typhoid Mary is born. Typhoid Mary becomes a vigilante in her own right, going out at night and breaking up some of her father’s shady dealings. At first, Daredevil sees her as an ally, even teaming up with her a couple times. This changes however when one of Owl’s thugs attempts to rape Mary, and Bloody Mary is born. Bloody Mary brutally kills the thug, and goes out on patrol with Daredevil as Typhoid Mary. The two put a stop to a big drug exchange, but Mary doesn’t stop there. She begins slaughtering the men one by one. Daredevil stops her, but she gets away.

Through a bit of good detective work and crazyrandomhappenstance, Ben Urich discovers that the struggling blind lawyer, Matt Murdock, and Daredevil are one in the same. He struggles with the information because he know what would happen to Matt’s life if he wrote the story. He decides to meet with Matt and come clean. Matt thinks he wants money, but in reality, Urich just wants to thank him for everything he’s done for the city and for saving his life. Matt simply smiles and says “I don’t know what you’re talking about…”. They understand each other. Urich shreds the file he had on Daredevil, but his assistant takes the shredded paper.

With Bloody Mary on the loose, Fisk decides that the time is now to enact his takeover. He shows up with his gang to the Owl’s office for a showdown, but is surprised to find that Mary has beaten him there. The Owl is dead. Long live The Kingpin.

Daredevil finds Mary on a roof, covered in her father’s blood. She wants him to get her help. Just so happens that he knows a great lawyer that would be able to get her an insanity plea no problem if she turned herself in.

Urich’s assistant storms into the editor’s office of the Daily Bugle’s competitor and throws down a painstakingly taped together file that reads: Daredevil.

After the very public trial of Mary Walker, who is now in a mental hospital, business is booming at Nelson and Murdock. Karen gets her first paycheck (with back pay of course), and everything is awesome.

The film ends on a close up of a newspaper headline at a news stand: DAREDEVIL IS BLIND LAWYER FROM HELL’S KITCHEN

(NOTE: I did not bother casting anything from the next two films because they’re a lot more vague than my take on the first movie.)

Movie 2

This film will show the rise of Wilson Fisk as the “Kingpin of Crime”. As Daredevil, Matt will be trying his best to foil Fisk’s plans, but fails at every turn. His outting as Daredevil by the press is taking a tole on his personal life, both his new romance with Karen and his longtime friendship with Foggy. But through it all, the situation should make both relationships stronger. Kingpin hires the Enforcers to take out Daredevil, and fail several times. Eventually Kingpin comes up with a “better idea” and asks Matt to meet him. There he finds the bodies of the Enforcers and the police show up and find him. He’s been set-up. Daredevil escapes, but the police show up at his apartment and arrest him later. Before the trial, Ben Urich is trying to find out information on the murders and questions the morgue tech. The morgue guy mentions that all three men were killed exactly the same way: precise hit to a particular artery near the heart. Morgue tech – “The guy would have to be a perfect shot. Pop! Pop! Pop! Bullseye..”. Matt Murdock is found guilty and goes to prison.

Movie 3

Matt is in prison, but with the help of Urich and Foggy, tries to build a case to prove his innocence. Kingpin gets wind of Matt’s plans, and knowing that he will eventually succeed, rehires Bullseye after he used him off camera in the last film. Bullseye must commit a crime, get caught, convicted, and then kill Matt Murdock from within prison. Of course he fails to kill Matt, after a standoff between the two during a prison riot that Bullseye started as a distraction. Foggy and Urich prove Matt’s innocence and he is released. Everything is back to normal and Matt vows to put his Daredevil alter ego away for good so he can focus on his career and his relationship with Karen. But since nothing can be happy for Matt, Bullseye escapes and takes Karen hostage, demanding that Matt show up in costume to face him. They fight, Daredevil wins, but with his last bit of strength, Bullseye throws Daredevil’s billy club and hits Karen. She dies in his arms. While Matt grieves, Bullseye takes this opportunity to escape. Matt decides to go after the man responsible for all of this: Wilson Fisk. Foggy tries to stop him, it isn’t what Karen would have wanted, but Matt refuses to listen to reason. He fights his way into Fisk’s office. Fisk – “Are you here to kill me?” Daredevil – “No. I’m here to tell you that I’m not going away. Not now. Not ever.”. We then see Matt, Foggy, and Urich at Karen’s funeral. They ask Matt about what he’s going to do now, is he going to stop being Daredevil? Matt – “Before, I wouldn’t do what was needed to get justice. I didn’t want to put my loved ones in harm’s way. But now, I’ll never stop. I’m a Man Without Fear…”

So ends my Daredevil trilogy.

So ends my very first If I Ran Hollywood article! I really hope you guys liked this and will want to read more of them. I put a lot of research into these so I doubt I can get them done more than once a month, but as soon as I finish them, I’ll post it!

Next Time: The Fastest Man Alive!

Scott Carelli is a podcaster and aspiring writer. Look for more of his articles coming soon to Murmur. Until then, you can go to his website or follow him on Twitter.

I’ve already posted a couple articles on the casting of the pilot, so you can read those here and here.

A Song of Ice and Fire is considered by many, including myself, to be one of the best fantasy series of modern day. However, it is also a very long series. In addition, the series is quite a ways off from being completed. So the decision to begin reading the novels could be particularly tough for some people. However, with a television series, many people will be able to get a good taste of the setting and plot of the novels, without dedicating the time to reading them. Which could in turn lead them back to the novels, once they know it’s something they are interested in.

The fact is, ASoIaF is not your typical fantasy series. The Hollywood Reporter did a good job of summarizing one of the main differences in their recent article:

Unlike many fantasy novels, the “Thrones” series largely avoids relying on magical elements and instead goes for brutal realism — think “Sopranos” with swords.

Martin’s view of fantasy in the novels up to this point has largely involved the setting itself. Yes, magic once existed in the world, and may very well exist again at some point. But the focus is more on political intrigue, knights and soldiers, and kingdoms rising from chaos.

Game of Thrones, which shares the same title as the first novel in the series (minus the preceding article “A”) will find quite possibly the perfect fit on HBO. The novels are way too violent for a network TV spot similar to “Legend of the Seeker“. Sex is also something that makes it’s way into the novels when appropriate for the story. Neither of those will be an issue for a show airing on HBO. If anything, it could help the show out with HBO’s audience.

The series is shaping up to be a good one. As of the pilot we have a fantastic list of stars including Sean Bean, Lena Headey, and Peter Dinklage. Add in a few rising actors and some fresh faces, and this series has the potential to really take off.

Ten episodes for the first season could work out pretty well. The first novel could be cut down quite a bit. Hopefully future seasons would warrant the normal HBO length of 13 episodes, however. It could be pretty difficult to cut down some of the later books. Currently there are four books, with the 5th book looking likely to come out sometime this year. Given HBO’s history with shows, it’s unlikely that the show would even make it to that point. However, should it reach the 5th season, there will probably be a 6th book waiting for it. The first three books came in two year gaps. Assuming A Dance with Dragons is released this year, that would mean that both of his last two books saw a gap of 5 years before they came out.

Game of Thrones is set to begin production this June, and should air in Spring of 2011.

Next Time: Moffat and The Doctor Part 3 – Time Crash/Blink

Next Time: Moffat and The Doctor Part 2 – The Girl in the Fireplace/The Curse of Fatal Death

There have been a lot of rumored casting going around lately, which can always be assumed to happen as a comic book film’s production begins to approach, but in the case of Captain America, most of those rumors didn’t seem entirely out of question (not counting the Will Smith rumor from a couple years ago…). From Chris Pine (Star Trek) to Jensen Ackles (Supernatural) to Ryan “Captain Awesome” McPartlin (Chuck), every rumor seemed to fit the role rather well. Now, its been revealed that Marvel Studios has their list of shield-wielding hopefulls:

John Krasinski (The Office, Leatherheads)

I love John Krasinski, I really do. I love Jim Halpert. I’m even pretty fond of Leatherheads, and can see the connection that the Marvel Studio execs are obviously making. But seriously, Captain America?! I’ve always said that if they ever wanted to make a 30-something Spider-Man flick, with Peter Parker as a high school teacher, Krasinski is their guy. But he’s just not right for Cap.

Chace Crawford (Gossip Girl)

Consistently the least interesting part of Gossip Girl (I know, I know “There’s interesting parts of Gossip Girl?!” If that’s your reaction, it should really put into perspective how yawn-inducing Crawford’s character Nate Archibald must be), I see it physically, but I don’t buy him as a leader. I’ve never seen him display the acting chops I would deem necessary for the role. Besides, the guy’s next movie is a remake of Footloose… a guy’s gotta eat but I really don’t want to see Cap teaching a town to dance.

Michael Cassidy (Smallville, The OC)

On The OC, Michael Cassidy played Zach Stevens, one of the “new kids” introduced onto the show in season two (and then subsequently written off by the end of the season). His character was kind of a dumb but likable, “aw shucks”  kind of a guy, but again, I just don’t get it. Sure, if he bulked up and squared that jaw, I could see him in the role physically, but his voice isn’t demanding and leader-y enough for me. He went on to play the new editor of the Daily Planet on Smallville’s seventh season, but I never bought him as the boss. Every time he gave orders to Chloe or Lois, it felt weird, unnatural, and totally took me out of it. If he can’t convince me he can run a newspaper, how the hell would he be able to carry the presence necessary for Captain America?

Mike Vogel (Cloverfield, 2003’s The Texas Chainsaw Massacre)

Better. Closer. Warmer. He’s definitely got a look close enough to Steve Rogers (Only complaint would be that he’s just a bit too… “pretty”). The problem however is that while I’ve seen him in both movies listed above, I can barely remember him in either. Does that mean that I just didn’t find his performances that memorable? That’s not good when he’s supposed to be playing one of the most recognizable characters in comic history. Of course this curse could also be a blessing, it would definitely give him an “unknown” air to him, which would allow him to really dive headfirst into the role. Besides, once he plays Cap, people will definitely remember him. Consider Vogel my tentative number 2.

Patrick Flueger (The 4400)

I’ve never watched The 4400, and looking over his IMDB, I don’t think I’m familiar with anything he’s done at all. He’s got the look however, but I can’t give my approval unless I see something he’s done. But I guarantee you this: If Patrick Flueger gets the job, The 4400 will instantly be added to my netflix que.

Scott Porter (Friday Night Lights, Caprica)

My number 1 choice by a mile, Scott Porter would be an awesome Captain America. I haven’t had a chance to catch Caprica yet, but from the little bit of Friday Night Lights I’ve seen so far, I think he’d be great. He’s got troop-rallying leadership down. He’s absolutely got the all-american midwest vibe going for him. He should be a shoe-in for the role. Of course, this almost guarantees he won’t get it, but lets hope for the best.

Well, that’s what I think. What about you guys? Let us know in the comments section!

Next Week: Moffat and The Doctor Part 1 – The Empty Child/The Doctor Dances

Next Week: Regenerations Part 3 (for real this time… seriously)

Next Week: Regenerations Part 3 – Pertwee/Baker, Troughton/Pertwee, Hartnell/Troughton

Hey Geeks!

Just wanted to let you know that I recently recorded an episode of Couch Surfing with John Pavlich where we talked about what happened with Geek By Night from when John left to its cancelation. This of course marks a reunion of sorts for the two us, having started the show together two years ago right here on Geekshow until I ultimately quit 12 episodes in. It was nice to get a lot of stuff off my chest, and I hope you all enjoy getting a little more detail about all the behind the scenes drama of Geek By Night. Check it out and let us know what you thought of it. Hopefully, I will be surfing plenty more couches in the future…

You can get the episode here.

But I digress. 2009 had its fair share of what I shall broadly term “remakes” and it is to these I will turn a little attention for this article. I will be restricting this discussion to films that fall into this category as it is the easiest field to deal with in terms of it reaching the broadest audience and the one I can talk about the most.

I have to confess though, that I didn’t really get around to viewing that many of the remakes of 2009. Reports of the ones I have missed, however, appear to indicate that I haven’t really missed anything. Still, hope springs eternal and we all know that everyone has different tastes.

So, here I offer my own personal list of top 10 favourite “remakes” of 2009.

10. Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen

Now I know that many people have issues with this movie and I agree with a lot of them. Compared to many other films, Transformers 2 is not the best movie. It’s a movie about robots that can bend and twist into the shapes of cars and things. At the end of the day, it’s not going to be high calibre stuff.

All that said, visually, this movie is pretty cool. Visual effects have come a long way. Shia Lebouf is an ok actor in the movie, certainly better than Megan Fox, and to some extent you do care what happens between the Autobots and the Deceptacons.

Not the greatest by any means but to see a Transformers movie on the screen again in and of itself is quite pleasing. I suspect that there will be yet another sequel so I hope against hope that the story will be a bit better and I perhaps would like to see a new lead come in and interact with these characters. In any case, I’d watch this movie if it was on but wouldn’t actively seek it out.

9. X-Men Origins: Wolverine

Again, it’s no secret that this remake is not a favourite among diehard fans. Like many I was looking forward to this for a long time but as it got closer I started to doubt a little. I finally got to see it on literally the last day it was screening in cinemas here so I think maybe some of my affinity with this movie is merely from the fact of waiting so long for it to come out and then finally seeing it at last.

I cannot deny that a big plug for me for this movie is seeing Hugh Jackman. There’s no denying that he is a very talented entertainer and after three X-Men movies we have gotten very used to him in the role. That said, by this point, I think they’re flogging a dead horse. In the first X-Men movie he was so tough and kick-ass but now in Origins, he’s kinda wimpy. Perhaps the Wolverine character started out that way before all the government stuff but he still seemed too soft for the character that I remember from watching the cartoon series as a kid.

I didn’t know anything about Weapon X so as the story unfolded for me that was exciting and seeing Gambit was cool, but ultimately the ending was a massive letdown. Weapon X wasn’t scary looking and I wanted to be scared by that character. It was really a case of ‘okay get this fight over with already and end the movie’. So, not great but still okay enough to make my top 10.

8. My Sister’s Keeper

I read the book a few years ago when it came out and as a novel it is just a phenomenal read. Jodie Picoult has such a powerful style as a writer that really grips you as a reader and is very good at switching between different character voices and keeping them all unique. She always picks gripping subject matter to do with moral and/or ethical choices in seemingly impossible situations so if this is your kind of thing and if you haven’t read any of her books, I highly recommend them.

I didn’t, however, imagine that this story would be made into a movie. As much as it is a dire situation, in many respects it’s also a bit fluffy so I guess that was why it was picked and then pegged more towards the female, mother/daughter kind of audience. In my opinion, Picoult’s ‘The Pact’ would be a much better film because it is a bit darker and meatier a story to delve into.

I absolutely loved Abigail Breslin in this movie. She is just a sweetie in everything that she does and she is so talented. I really hope that she continues to grow in her success as she gets older. I also loved the other young girl who played her sister. She brought a reality and truth to the character that the film needed to be meaningful.

The casting of Cameron Diaz as the mother was a real turnoff for me. I just wasn’t convinced by her at all. She was too young and pretty for the role. On the flipside I thought Alec Baldwin was too old for his character whom I had envisioned as a younger man when I read the book. Worn out by his work, yes, but still younger.

The saving grace of the movie though, and the reason I rate it in my top 10 is because of the way the filmmakers treated the ending. Anyone who has read the novel will tell you that they completely changed the ending between the novel and the film. In the book, you are blind-sighted (or at least I was) by the sudden and dramatic ending that it adds to the beauty of the story and really tugs on your heartstrings. Being a novel and being able to go completely inside someone’s head gives you the ability to do that. For a movie though, the ending would have been far too clichéd and would have been a ‘quick fix’ so as to make a happy ending.

The ending the filmmakers did choose, however, in my opinion is far more realistic and powerful. Having some personal connection to this story I can say that real life stories like this, more often than not, don’t have that happy ending that we all want. People we love do get sick and die and there is little in the long run we can do to change that. Worth the watch. Make sure you have the tissues and if you are up for it, read the book cuz it is a million times better.

7. Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel

Okay, so this one is yet another sequel made merely to cash in on a pre-established fan base from the first movie. CGI sells big these days, particularly with kids, and it virtually guarantees to draw the crowds in for the summer holiday period.

For me this one is a big nostalgia hit. I grew up watching Alvin and the Chipmunks on tv practically every afternoon for years and I wish the powers that be would hurry up and release it on DVD already. Yes, the story was lame, stupid and pointless. I inwardly groaned when I saw the sleazy producer from the first one was in it to have another crack at it all. I was also disappointed that Jason Lee had so small a role in it in favour of the younger, edgier human sidekick to the boys who really brought nothing to the table. You need that interaction between Dave and the boys.

But being a girl you just can’t go past the Chipettes, although I was a little disappointed that Britney didn’t have as much sass as the character I remembered. Their singing Beyonce was simply adorable even though the content is a little bit inappropriate for the target demographic. If nothing else, you just can’t get over how cute they all are and how largely faithful to the essence of the series it was, particularly now that the characters as in high school.

Definitely worth it for the nostalgia and just a feel-good hour and a half of pure enjoyment for the young at heart.

6. Terminator Salvation

Yet another disappointment to many, but I confess I really enjoyed it. Maybe it was because I saw it as the first movie at a marathon and the other two films on the bill were really average (Fired Up and Mall Cop) but I liked the action and general storyline of the movie. Christian Bale is a great actor, although a little type cast, and I simply adored Anton Yelchin as Kyle Reese.

I’m not that familiar with the original movies either so I guess that’s why I give this prequel the benefit of the doubt. Visually I like the look of this movie. Its gritty and dark enough for my likings though I admit it probably is too ‘Hollywood’ for most. Perhaps it’s simply because I enjoy the story of an underdog. This isn’t really the story of John Conner. It’s about Kyle Reese. But I fully take on board and can understand the complaints and disappointments about this film already expressed on the various podcasts and articles posted here on Geekshow.

In any case, as for me, I liked it, more so than Wolverine or Transformers anyway.

5. Twilight Saga New Moon

Once more, shoot me if you must but I am supremely curious as to how this story is being translated from book to screen. Like it or not, Twilight has a huge fan base that cares greatly in a faithful and loyal retelling of the vampire who sparkles and his teenage lover. Probably because I’m female and have had that experience of being so in love with that guy, I have a soft spot for this. Try not to hate me.

4. Sherlock Holmes

This movie was just kick-ass and with Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law in the mix how could it not be? Witty, gritty and lots of action and intrigue. Simply delightful to watch. Now this is by no means a perfect facsimile of the Sherlock Holmes Arthur Conan Doyle envisioned. There’s no tweed in sight and I doubt reformed bad boy Robert was exactly the type of actor he would have had in mind to play the part.

But there is something about this movie that is really captivating. Holmes is a recluse yet brilliant in his reasoning, deduction and accuracy – and it doesn’t hurt that he can pack a good punch when needed! At first appearance this is a supernatural type of story but as you get into it you realise that is a facade. Why is it so intriguing? Elementary my dear Watson, this remake knows how to blend the old with the new in a masterful synthesis that hits the right mark or bringing something fresh to an old favourite.

3. Underworld: Rise of the Lycans

This is something my brother made me watch and I’m so glad he did. This movie was great. I didn’t know much about it other than it was about vampires and werewolves, but I really enjoyed watching this story of love, betrayal and the fight to be free. I instantly went out and bought the trilogy boxset on DVD that came with free lycan figurine.

Visually it was stunning and the tone was so refreshing and gritty from the jazzed-up style that is often incorporated into the making of so many films of this genre these days. Sure, there is the obligatory humanising of the demonic characters but even after that they still maintain their ferocity and fear factor. Definitely worth the watch for something against the crowd.

2. Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince

What can I say? Harry Potter hit the screen again in 2009 and generally speaking he did not fail at all to disappoint. Like many I am a rampant Harry fan, however, of all the film adaptations of the novels, I must confess this one was not one of my favourite ones. That said; it was still really awesome.

Rupert Grint shines once more as the oblivious boofhead Ron, who is suddenly in possession of the world’s most ridiculous first girlfriend, who good for the actress, fully committed to the role. Poor Hermione! Likewise, it’s great to see Harry and Ginny finally get it together.

Everything we come to expect and be wowed by in a Harry Potter film. Bring on the final two chapters!

1. Star Trek

Easily the knockout hit of remakes in 2009! There is a massive subculture around this particular sci-fi franchise so naturally there is a phenomenal fanbase to draw upon and virtually a guaranteed audience for any new incarnation created. But given that, there is an equally overwhelming pressure for any such incarnation to be faithful, true, accurate and ‘good’ to the dedicated fan of the story.

Fortunately this particular movie knocks all these expectations out of the park in its success. The casting is perfect for each character. Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto are simply amazing and bring a new depth and life to Kirk and Spock respectively. I especially liked seeing Aussie Chris Hemsworth in the role of Kirk Senior at the beginning of the film which was an unexpected surprise, and he really showed him chops thru the character.

An absolute epic, the film draws you in from the first minute until the last. It’s a long film, sure, but who really cares? The length perfectly does the story justice so it isn’t rushed or overdone. Best of all, the film knows just how far to take things in a new direction and just how close to stick to all that has already been established.

This one was not only completely worth being made, but added much to an already well-loved story. Even if you would never in a million years consider yourself a ‘Trekkie’, check this one out. You might just fall in love a little bit.

So there you go, those are my picks for the year that was. Still on my list to see are Inkheart, Sorority Row, Watchmen, Halloween 2, A Christmas Carol and Dragonball Evolution to name but a few. I suspect I shall be greatly disappointed but I just can’t help but have a little hope.

At the end of the day, there is something easy and comfortable in watching stories that we are already familiar with and are fans of. Although there is also nothing worse than when such stories are retold in such poor fashion as to make you doubt if you really liked it at all in the first place.

No doubt 2010 will hold its own array of remakes which we can all love and hate in whatever measures we see fit. But if Hollywood is kind, there will be more to love than hate, and the mistakes of the past will be learnt from and moved past. Still, the question of ‘to make or remake’ remains constantly in the background, begging moviemakers to really think about the projects they take on and just why audiences should bother paying any of their attention to them.

Next Week: Regenerations Part 2 (for real this time)

(Sorry for the audio quality issue in this episode, shouldn’t happen again)

Next Week: Regenerations Part 2 – Baker/McCoy, Davison/Baker, and Baker/Davison

Apparently, Fox has made the move to secure the rights to re-make Torchwood for American audiences. In addition to to picking up the rights to the show, Fox has also hired the original Torchwood’s writer/producer Russell T. Davies to write the script for the pilot. It’s also possible that some of the original series’ actors may make the trek over to the US version of the show. The most likely star to make the conversion would be John Barrowman, who plays the lead character, Captain Jack Harkness. While other actors are possible, few of them would work out on American television.

The plot of the new show is supposed to take a more global approach to the same story. Perhaps we will see an American wing of the Torchwood institute. This begs the question of whether or not the series will exist in the same continuity as the other Torchwood. If so, perhaps it would be best if the show got a rename along with it’s new story.

As much trouble as Fox has had with genre shows, I can’t see the show lasting long on their network, assuming it makes it past the pilot phase. Perhaps it will take a slightly more X-Files approach, and that is the potential that Fox likes in it. Either way, I wouldn’t bother getting too attached to the series.

The issue of whether or not to reboot the series is made interesting by the first trilogy’s relative youth. The first movie was released in 2002 to enormous success both financially and critically. The second film followed two years later in 2004, and the final part of the trilogy was released just over two years ago. To add to the intrigue, had it not been for Raimi’s inability to rush out the fourth installment of the franchise, we would have seen it next year.

Sources have said that the reason Raimi couldn’t get the fourth installment of the movie out in time for it’s scheduled 2011 release was due to problems that he had with the script. Apparently those problems could not be worked through in a time frame that pleased both Raimi and Sony. As a result, Raimi and his Spider-Man cast have been removed from the future of the franchise.

All that has led us to the point where we get a reboot of the series instead of a continuation. But that still doesn’t really answer the initial question of whether or not a reboot is too soon. The problem is that the question has two sides to it. First, there is a question as to whether or not the franchise can financially support a reboot. Let’s be honest here, Hollywood would be tripping over itself to reboot every money making franchise it could if it could get away with what will ultimately become a ten year (the new Spider-Man is due out in 2012) turn around. But perhaps what is really important to us (unless you lay awake at night worrying about Sony’s head honchos and how they are going to make their next millions) is the second question. Does a series reboot offer anything new to the audience?

The Financial Issue

Indulge me for a moment while I address the first issue. Can the franchise support a reboot of the series? It’s quite easy to see that the franchise has been an overwhelming success for Sony. Domestically, the first three films ring currently ring in at #9, #13, and #18 on the All Time gross charts. Putting aside inflation for a moment, that means that only Spider-Man and Star Wars have three movies from the same franchise in the top 20. If you expand it out to the top 30, you also let the Lord of the Rings trilogy into the party. That’s pretty impressive company.

Obviously, additional movies worked out pretty well for the Star Wars franchise. Not only were all three of the prequel movies in the top 30 domestically, but they all ended up in the top 100 when adjusted for ticket inflation. I doubt many people would consider the choice to make more Star Wars movies a failure financially.

But when we speak about the Spider-Man movie for 2012, we aren’t talking about a prequel or a sequel. This makes it a lot harder to judge the potential success for the next set of movies. And we are also talking about a gap of only five years between the end of one incarnation, and the beginning of another. The closest comparison that I can come up with in this situation is Batman, which saw an eight year gap between the destruction and rebirth of the franchise. It’s pretty safe to say that everything worked out pretty well in that case.

Ultimately I think Batman offers the best lesson in rebooting a franchise. Fitting that it should also belong in the “comics on film” category. The answer to the financial success of the franchise lies in that lesson. The lesson involves the direction, integrity, and entertainment of the franchise. Ultimately, if Batman was relaunched and maintained the same feeling and direction, it would have flopped. But it was given a breath of fresh air that helped it not only survive, but reach incredible new heights.

So the best answer to the financial issue is this: If Sony can find an entertaining take that heads in a new direction for the series, it will continue to succeed financially. If they fail to accomplish that, then the Spider-Man franchise may be dead well before it reaches it’s sixth movie. With the hire of Marc Webb, it’s obvious that the franchise is headed in a different direction. However, it will be important to see how tight of a leash Sony keeps on Webb and Spider-Man. If Warner had limited Nolan’s vision of Batman Begins, where would that franchise be today?

What Does a Reboot Offer Us?

It’s interesting that the question of financial feasibility ultimately comes down to the direction of the new product. Because that’s exactly the issue that has the most effect on the audience. Stick too closely to the original movies and viewers will get a sense of “Been there, Done that”. Stray too far, and you have the risk of turning off your established fanbase.

Before I get too far into asking what the new movies have to offer those of us that are likely reading this article, I do have to point out one advantage that this franchise has with a reboot happening so quickly. Spider-Man is a movie franchise that has succeeded almost entirely because of it’s appeal to younger viewers in addition to the older viewers. The younger viewers are what give the franchise a unique opportunity to succeed with a franchise reboot. It will have been 10 years between the beginnings of the Spider-Man stories. That’s an entire new batch of kids to rope into the adventures of a wise crackin’, web slingin’, young super hero. And if children these days are anything like I was as a child, (I have my doubts, thanks to “quality” entertainment available in this age) then they will not care about the time between movies. They will just be completely excited about new stories. And for some of them, this time it will be completely new.

But obviously, it’s not the children that we are interested in for this article. What can these movies offer us, the readers, that a sequel could not have given us? Or perhaps, what can it offer us that makes me care that the franchise wasn’t just killed off?

First, it’s important to remember that Spider-Man is a comic book. Reboots and different takes are built into it’s very nature. And when you choose to look at it from that direction, (and choose to completely ignore the dollar signs in the eyes of the people making that decision) I believe that it makes the decision a bit more exciting.

Secondly, we have to take a look at the direction that the original trilogy was headed in. From the beginning, it was clear that Raimi’s take was a borderline slapstick action take on the franchise. Which was fine, and it obviously worked out well for everyone involved. However, that style of movie always runs the risk of turning people off. The first two movies garnered solid critical response. They fetched a 90% and 94% freshness rating from Rotten Tomatoes, which judges the average score from reviewers. Meanwhile, the third movie’s rating plummeted to 63%. While that’s still not a terrible score by RT’s standards, it was a far cry from the first two scores.

I would say that the third Spider-Man movie was still a far cry from a complete failure. It had a long way to go to get to the level of something like Batman & Robin. But it was certainly headed in that direction, with the numerous villains included, and the forever increasing number of people aware of Spider-Man’s identity.

With a reboot, what we are offered is a different direction. Given the decision to hire Marc Webb, I hope that Sony has made the decision to allow a more character-centric approach on the story. Less cheese, more drama, similar action. Get the balance just right, and what we are given could easily surpass the original trilogy.

It’s already been mentioned several times around the internet that the new-look Peter Parker could be centered around his High School life. High School was almost an afterthought in the original movie. As if the writers said, “Alright look, we are just going to have to address this issue, so let’s get it over with quickly”.  Arguably, that’s the exact opposite of what Spider-Man should be like. It’s quite possible that with the new reboot, that could be rectified.

Another issue that Marc Webb’s Spider-Man has the opportunity to “fix” deals with casting choices. I ultimately had very little to complain about in the casting of the characters in Sam Raimi’s take. However, the choices weren’t exactly all that inspiring, either. The casting in Webb’s big movie, 500 Days of Summer, was pretty much fantastic and spot on. If that is what we can get from Spider-Man, everyone should be pretty pleased with the end result. However, some of the choices may seem odd to begin with. I for one would love to see less big names, and more pure talent.

To go along with a better take on the characters, the other thing that I hope we can get from a reboot is better pacing. I already mentioned the original trilogy’s take on High School. But they continued to fast forward through the shining moments of the Spider-Man story. The relationship and eventual marriage to Mary Jane. Peter’s growth as a hero. It’s all presented on fast forward in the original movies. A reboot has the luxury of slowing things down, and exploring them better.

In Conclusion

If I had my choice, this movie would be centered primarily around Peter Parker’s world, and his growth as a character. Mary Jane may not even make an appearance in the first movie. I wouldn’t have Peter leave high school until at least the third movie. Everything in the movies would be focused solely around character moments. Even the villains would be grounded better in reality ala Nolan’s Batman villains.

That’s the gift that the reboot offers us. The idea of a different trip through the same world. If that is the direction the new trilogy takes, then we are in for a treat. If Sony insists on repeating the tried formula, then it may be harder to find a reason to enjoy the movies. But even so, it isn’t as if each new comic series re-invents the formula. Sometimes you just have to enjoy the story for what it is.

What would it take for you to enjoy a Spider-Man reboot? A re-definition? More of the same? Or something that hasn’t been mentioned?

Next Week: Regenerations Part 1 – Eccleston/Tennant, McGann/Eccleston, and McCoy/McGann

Next Week: A song ends, but the story continues…

Next Week: The End of Time Part 2

Next Week: The End of Time Part 1

Talking Points

• Apologies for lack of site activity
• Geek By Night/Fandomonium gone mostly for good
• The announcement of a new Geekshow Entertainment show
• Merry Christmas! Let us know what you get!

Movies

• Brittany Murphy dies of cardiac arrest
• Iron Man 2 Trailer
• Alice in Wonderland

Television

• Discussion of what we’ve enjoyed to this point
• Discussion of what we didn’t like
• Scott is out of live television watching, into British television
• Discussion of the shows coming up (Lost, Chuck)
• Day One reduced from half season to mini-series

Video Games

• 2010 has a ton of God of War “clones”
• Arkham Asylum 2 announced
• Greenday Rockband announced
• Halo Reach & Mass Effect 2 cinematic trailers
• Microsoft promises “AAA” title every month in 2010
• Early 2010 especially brutal (Mass Effect 2, Bioshock 2, Splinter Cell Conviction, Final Fantasy XIII, Battlefield Bad Company 2, Aliens vs Predator, Dead Rising 2, etc)
• 2010: The year of the MMO for geeks? (Star Trek, Star Wars, DC)

GeekJerk Reaction

December 23rd

• Chipmunks: The Squeakquel

December 25th

• It’s Complicated
• Nine
• Sherlock Holmes
• Up In the Air

December 18-20, 2009

Before getting to the list proper, I’d like to mention a few caveats, a disclaimer if you will. I think it is only fair that I only include games that I have actually played on this list. Expectations rarely measure up to actuality, for good or bad. So while I am sure games such as Halo 3: ODST, Borderlands, Left 4 Dead 2, The Beatles Rock Band, Infamous, Resident Evil 5, and Street Fighter 4 are all most excellent, none of them will be appearing on my list. Additionally, if a game didn’t come out this year, it won’t appear on the list even though this is the year in which I first played them. Otherwise you’d be seeing appearances by games such as Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction, LittleBigPlanet, Dead Space, Civilization Revolution, and Battlefield: Bad Company.

You would think these things could go without saying, and you’re probably right. However, you wouldn’t want to deprive me of the fun of writing a disclaimer, would you? I didn’t think so. So without further ado, I bring you my picks for Game of the Year 2009.

Best Playstation 3 Game of 2009
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves

Uncharted 2 was the only new release that I played on the PS3 this year (due to buying the system so late in the year), so it kind of won by default. Regardless, I feel pretty good about this choice as Uncharted 2 is an amazing example of an adventure game at its cinematic best. The best thing about Uncharted 2 is the interplay between the extremely well-written characters. Incidental banter goes on even while you are playing, not just in the cutscenes, fleshing out character personalities and quirks in the process.

If you could choose only one game to show off what the PS3 can do, Uncharted 2 is definitely the game you want to pop in. The game is absolutely gorgeous, almost to the point of distraction. Getting killed during a firefight because you were admiring a beautiful waterfall or strange sculpture in the background is a problem every game wishes it could have. In a world full of “great looking” titles that think muddy browns are the ultimate in artistic expression, Uncharted 2 dares to use a vibrant palette of colors heavy in reds and greens.

The greatest looking digital scenery in the world doesn’t mean that much if it doesn’t feel alive. Uncharted 2 excels in this area thanks to the amazing quality of the animation. Character movements are smooth and realistic, vehicles bounce around on bumpy roads the way you expect them to, and guns look impressive and dangerous when you fire them. The sheer amount of quality animation in Uncharted 2 is breathtaking. There is definitely a good reason behind those commercials Sony put out where some guy’s girlfriend thinks this game is a movie. Uncharted 2 is almost as fun to watch as it is to play.

Best Nintendo Wii Game of 2009
Unplayed

Unlike the PS3, the only 2009 Wii game I played this year was a big disappointment. It was so disappointingly average that it kind of soured me on Wii games for the rest of the year, causing an apathy that led to skipping games such as WiiSports Resort, Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10, Dead Space Extraction, and even New Super Mario Bros Wii. Despite all the evidence pointing towards those games being good at the very least, I just couldn’t bring myself to play any of them. For that reason, this category remains empty thanks to The Conduit.

Best Nintendo DS Game of 2009
Unplayed

Some of my apathy towards the Wii bled over to the DS this year. The first half of the year didn’t really have anything that grabbed my attention. However, E3 2009 caused Scribblenauts to leap onto my radar, and I was really excited to get my hands on the game. Unfortunately, Scribblenauts ended up being a great concept hampered by poor execution, especially in the controls department. It is fun for a while as a novelty but gets extremely frustrating very quickly. As a big Zelda fan, I am really looking forward to playing The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks, but it hasn’t quite been released yet, so the DS category remains blank as well.

Best PC Game of 2009
Plants vs Zombies

Some people would probably place a different game into this category, but we’ll get back to that in a second. First we’ll get to my pick for the best PC game of the year, Plants vs Zombies. PopCap has figured out some sort of magic formula for creating addictive casual games. For example, Peggle can be a huge time waster, and Bejewled has been cloned about a billion times by now. Plants vs Zombies is a charming little tower defense game in which you have to defend your yard from a zombie onslaught with a variety of cartoony plants. There are several different modes in addition to the regular tower defense mode and plenty of things to unlock, keeping you playing “just one more round” until well after the sun goes down…and comes back up. On the surface, Plants vs Zombies may not seem like it belongs in a list with a bunch of “hardcore” games, but it is just as much fun and far more addictive than many of its bigger cousins.

Best XBox 360 Game of 2009
Batman: Arkham Asylum & Dragon Age: Origins

The Xbox 360 took a much bigger overall share of my play time this year. The number of good games I played on the system made narrowing things down to one game rather difficult. Should I choose the game that surprised me the most? Should I choose the game I spent the most time with? What to do?

In the end, I cheated and picked two: Batman: Arkham Asylum and Dragon Age: Origins. While Assassin’s Creed II improves over the original in just about every way and Modern Warfare 2 is an excellent escalation of Infinity Ward’s first foray into modern day gun fights, I decided to give the edge to original titles. Red Faction Guerrilla almost made the cut as it easily dominated my playing time this summer. However, I settled on Batman: Arkham Asylum and Dragon Age: Origins for the same reason. Both games do an excellent job of creating an engrossing world and completely sucking you into it through story, characters, and gameplay.

Arkham Asylum is easily the best Batman game ever made, but you know it is special because it would be a really good game even if it didn’t star the Dark Knight. Rocksteady Studios made great use of the license in a way that turns a really good game into a great one. Sure, it’s a lot of fun to beat up henchmen no matter who you are, but doing it as the ruthlessly efficient Batman is even better. Arkham Asylum feels like a real place you are inhabiting and exploring rather than a set of video game levels. Also, enough can’t be said about including elements of Batman the Animated Series in this game. Arkham Asylum sometimes feels like a slightly darker version of that show, due in no small part to the writing of Paul Dini and the voices of Mark Hamill (The Joker), Kevin Conroy (Batman), and Arleen Sorkin (Harley Quinn).

While Arkham Asylum brings the world of Batman to life, Dragon Age: Origins brings a completely original fantasy setting to life with incredible detail, inhabiting the RPG with interesting characters and difficult choices. Some people would list this in the PC category, and I am sure that it plays very well with a mouse and keyboard. Personally, I have spent well over 70 hours playing the game on the 360 so far, loving every single moment along the way. While Dragon Age isn’t the biggest visual powerhouse, it is still very impressive from an artistic design standpoint if not polygon count. Each place you discover feels like it has a history to it, and every area feels distinct due in large part to the different designs found in the architecture, objects, and creatures that you find.

The biggest strengths of the game, however, lie in the amount of flexibility in how you play your character and the impact of your choices on the world you are playing in. There are six completely unique origin stories to play through that influence and flavor the game differently as you play through it. The thing that impresses me the most about Dragon Age is that it manages to make the game equally fun to play, no matter what type of character you are playing as. Playing as a Warrior is just as much fun as playing as a Rogue or a Mage, even though each play style is quite different. Each character type has a lot of room for customization such as what types of magic you decide to use or if your warrior uses large two-handed weapons, a sword and shield combo, or dual weapons.

Excellent voice acting and a wealth of text-based “codex” entries about all the people and places you visit are just more evidence that Bioware certainly hasn’t lost their magic touch when it comes to creating fascinating RPG worlds to explore.

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Overall Game of 2009
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves

So of all the games released this year, which one stands out? Which one has that little something extra that takes it over the top? (As if you couldn’t guess by those pretty pictures on the left.) While all of the games I’ve mentioned are excellent, Uncharted 2 gets the edge for its sharply written character dialogue and eye-popping graphics. Naughty Dog has raised the bar for what we can expect from video game characters. I hope the studio can eclipse themselves again in Nathan Drake’s inevitable next adventure. Uncharted 3 can’t get here soon enough!