Secrets in the Watchmen movie

How could I not be a fan of the Watchmen graphic novel and not mention some of the extras that will be filling the movie screens this week? I am not talking about the action of the story, nor the conversion of scenes from picture to live-action. There is more going on than what you may first notice.

Like the plot of the story, what you see at first glance is not all that is happening. There are messages hidden in the whole film. If you know to look for them. And if you find everything you need Rorschach’s mask as much as he does (hell, I want that too).

They are little things, like with the Comedian. Pay close attention to the lighter he uses for his cigars. The lighter is more than just a plain zippo. There is an image of the Silk Spectre. Kind of says a lot about their past and relationship, or does it hint at something else? A flame burning but never revealed?

And speaking of the Comedian, let’s not pass up the answer to who shot JFK. Yes, we get the answer with absolute certainty. The only question is how good the good guys are. What is really the greatest good. And do you get the joke?

But then there is Ozymandias watching television. Actually watching every television program at once. What might the smartest man in the world watch if he could watch it all? How about porn? Yes it’s up there. So is the original 300 (a good movie I recommend), the Road Warrior, and Marvin the Martian destroying the world for a bit of cartoon play on action. In fact the theme of the movie is hit upon with scenes from the Day The Earth Stood Still and Fail Safe (a true must see film). And just for a touch of the real world, you can also see a few Youtube videos as well.

Of course the blend of our world and that of the Watchmen does not end at Youtube. If you keep a sharp eye out you will find that one of the super heroes has a copy of the Watchmen graphic novel tucked away. Talk about bending space and time, or a Nostradomus style prediction of the future.

These are just a few of the things awaiting in the world of the Watchmen. There are far more. You don’t need to be a uber-fan of the graphic novel to enjoy the extra bits placed throughout the film. Though that doesn’t hurt either.

This is a movie based on a graphic novel unlike any most have ever scene. It’s dark, and not the ‘justice wins eventually’ fun of the Dark Knight movies. There are messages and meanings everywhere.

Perhaps the question is are you more akin to the Comedian, Dr. Manhattan, Ozymandias, or Rorschach in your world view? Obviously these are my favorite characters. And I expect that Rorschach, who is the curiosity and almost the guide for the audience through the story, will have more to say in his mask than just the random movements it makes.

By the way, after you see the movie, try not to give away the ending to those that don’t know the story. Let them get put in awe too.

Studios in a fight mean movie success for 2009

There are dozens of ways to tell what a studio thinks of a film. In almost every case the most blatant actions of a studio tend to mean absolute confidence that a movie will bomb.

There are the cases were the director refuses to put their name on the film, which normally will be seen as a director Smithee film. That is a sign that the director could not get what he wanted or the studio overruled the final cut. Generally not a good sign.

There are the instances where major name actors with significant roles prefer not to attach their name to a project, even after all editing and filming are done. This can be far less sure a sign as one of the more famous examples is the lack of credit of James Earl Jones in Star Wars. Jones thought the film would be a bomb and declined to take credit, as if anyone could not recognize his voice.

But the bigger examples are when trailers are refused to be shown to critics and/or the public. Snakes On A Plane was completely viral, and when the critics (and public) saw the film it was understood why. Or when a film is scheduled to come out in January. The first month of the year is noted as the graveyard. A time when few are expected to venture to theaters due to weather and lack of cash from holiday spending. The worse the film, the closer to January 1st they open.

There are exceptions to the January rule, within reason. Cloverfield did quite well, in a field without competition or quality, though blockbuster it was not. But films like the upcoming Notorious are the prime examples of January studios expect to start their year with.

But one thing that you rarely ever see, are studios going to court to stop a movie from opening. And when the reason the film will be delayed is a question of who has the rights (and thus a cut of the money) you know what they are thinking. This is a cash cow, a blockbuster they must have a piece of.

The Watchmen is something the movie studios believe they have to have part of.

Currently Fox and Warner Bros. are fighting to prove who owns all the rights, or portions, for this film. It may potentially push back the March 2009 release of the film. And the only reason a studio goes through this kind of argument is because they know they will reap all the cost of litigation and more when the film gets out.

The Watchmen is one of the more anticipated films of over a decade. The trailers for the film have been heavily viewed for over a year now. The storyline appears to be virtually the same as found in the graphic novel - which was groundbreaking on multiple levels. And the environment is perfect of a conversion from graphic novel to silver screen with the success of Iron Man, the Dark Knight, X-Men, and several other films in the past couple of years. [Not to mention the planned 4th Spiderman, Wolverine, Avengers, and several other conversions to be released soon.]

I have already said that I expect Watchmen to be astounding. From what I can garner it will be like no other film, not because of the effects but the story. It is a movie that will take movie-goers to a place few films have dared to tread. And the studios smell the money like sharks tracking blood.

If nothing else tells you that this will be a blockbuster, the court case should be the last motivation you need. Unless I am very wrong, this will be the movie of 2009. There is a prediction for the new year, and you don't need to be Nostradamus to see that.

Watchmen: 2nd movie trailer out

I've spoken about the Watchmen movie previously, and my excitement continues to build. A new movie trailer has come out which sets the tone of the movie quite well.



That got my blog pumping. If you don't see this movie, you must be dead. Ok, a bit extreme but I really think this movie is going to surprise and blow away people in hordes.

There's nothing more to say, the video clip has done it all.

From the dark depths to the silver screen - Villains

Ok, let’s be honest. If you had the choice of being Lex Luthor or Superman who would you choose? And when I say be them I mean you don’t get the just the power or just the money. You get the greed, obsession with power, murdering, and the insanity/genius or the must follow the law, universal boy scout, do good by all means life of either man. Think hard.

If you are like me, many will choose Lex Luthor. Or the Joker (not Heath Ledger or the movies but the comic book version), Magneto (ditto comics), the Juggernaught, Green Goblin, Obedia Stane, Darth Vader, Darth Maul, Hannibal Lecter, Dracula, the Kurgan, Stansfeild, John Ryder, Agent Smith, the T-1000, Pinhead, H.A.L., Alex (A Clockwork Orange), the Kingpin, Dr. Doom, Scorpius, the Daleks, Khan Noonien Singh and the list goes on and on. I doubt that anyone from the ages of 11 up to 65 doesn’t remember at least a few of the people on this list. [If you aren’t familiar with all of them just search the web and you’ll find plenty on them all.]

The point is that we all love the real bad guys. The ones with a brain and enough insanity to fill a psych ward. The guys that want power above anything and everything else. Because they all live. They have nothing holding them back, and nothing stands in their way. They are life spinning in chaos on the edge of a blackhole.

Without a real villain, the good guys are just boring losers that you wouldn’t notice if they were you looking in a mirror. (Not that anyone that reads my posts are losers, it’s just a metaphor)

Considering all this, and the fact that movies based on comic books are all the rage right now, how long did you think it would take for a movie to be made based on villains? If you thought 2010 you’d be just about right.

Viper Comics graphic novel Villains has just been picked up by Universal Pictures and will be made into a movie. This is a film from the bad guys point of view. It’s about the life that the good guys never see. The how and why of being evil.

If you read a synopsis of the graphic novel you get a basic story that reads like Apt Pupil.



Unlike Brad Renfro’s accidental discovery and curiosity gone wild, in Villains there is a willful desire to scour the depths of evil and become the object of fear and righteous crusades of superheroes.

This film, if done right will be unlike just about any other film I can name. And it should do well. But the big question is far darker.

If this film does well in movies, if you enjoy it, what does that say about the society and all of us in it? Are we like Renfro, curious and unknowingly opening Pandora’s Box – or are we celebrating a dark core that we desperately try to keep hidden while we routinely follow the monotony of our daily attempts at order and sanity?

If the film touches on that question, then this film will be a must see.

Watchmen - the clock is running

There are some things in life you just can’t miss out on. Your first kiss, turning 21, reading a great novel, and on and on. These are experiences you can’t live without, or if you do then your life just feels all that much more shallow and empty. And there are movies that fall into this group as well. In 2009 I expect that a film will be released that will be in that category.

Watchmen

If you have never read a comic book or graphic novel, you need to read this. If you have never seen a movie based on a graphic novel or comic book you need to see this (and what rock have you been under the last 2 decades?). This should be bigger than Spiderman, bigger than The Dark Knight, bigger than all of them.

I’m heaping a lot of praise in advance of this movie which is not normal for me. But if this is done right, you will never question why.

Here is the video that just came out.



The story is too big, and complex to explain in a single post. In fact if you were told about the movie or novel it would be a crime. The pleasure is going on the cruise.

I will say this. Rorschach is the man. And Ozymandus (I always spell it wrong) is smarter than Batman (if you understand that Bruce Wayne is the greatest detective ever – not that the movies show it).

Let me give you a taste of the man that would tell the world …



This is unlike any hero movie you’ve ever seen. This is a story 95% will never figure out ahead of time. Unless they completely screw it up, it’s a movie that will stand out from virtually every story you’ve ever watched.

The clock is running, the joke is on you. 2009 is not too far.