Category: Movies

Mike Mignola & Hellboy: 20 Years and Going Strong!

Recognize the character above?

That’s the first drawing Mike Mignola ever did of his wildly popular Hellboy character.  It’s pretty nuts to see how that initial drawing morphed into the beloved Hellboy character that went on to serve as the cornerstone of a comic universe, and has been adapted into live-action and animated movies.

What is even crazier is to realize that Hellboy (as we came to know him) has been around for 20 years!  CBR.com recently talked with Mike Mignolia about his and Hellboy’s journey from initial sketch to comic icon.

“Sabotage” / Z-View

The Pitch: ”Hey, let’s remake Agatha Christie’s ‘Ten Little Indians’ as a gritty thriller starring Arnold Schwarzenegger.”

“Are you kidding?  No one will come to see that.”

“They will if we cut the trailers to make it look like an action movie!”

“Let’s do it!”

The Tagline:  “Leave No Loose Ends”

The Overview:  Forget what you saw in the trailers… or at least what you think you saw.

The trailers made Sabotage appear as a movie about an elite team of DEA agents led by Arnold Schwarzenegger who take down a cartel kingpin.  In retaliation for the bust, the team is set up to look as if they stole $10 million of drug money and Arnold’s wife and son are kidnapped by the cartel.  Following the set-up of the trailer, we wonder if someone on the team stole the money and will the team go to Mexico and save Arnold’s wife and son.

Well… that’s not exactly what the movie is about.

*** Beware –  spoilers are found below ***

Arnold is the leader of an elite team of DEA agents, but we learn very quickly that his wife and son were kidnapped, tortured and killed by Mexican drug dealers months ago.  We then see Arnold lead his team into a major drug raid that is exciting and violent.  Before the rest of the DEA force is brought in, Arnold’s team steals and hides ten million dollars.

Things go sideways when Arnold’s team goes back to retrieve the money and it’s gone.  To make matters worse the DEA realizes ten million dollars is missing and Arnold’s crew is suspect.  In addition to dealing with everyone suspecting them of stealing the cash, Arnold’s team has to wonder if the cartel is on to them or if one of the team members took the loot.  The stakes are raised when one by one the team begins to turn up brutally murdered.

The Good

  • David [Training Day, Street Kings] Ayer creates gritty cop thrillers and Sabotage is no exception.
  • The supporting cast which includes Sam Worthington, Joe Manganiello, Josh Holloway, Terrence Howard, Max Martini, Mireille Enos and Olivia Williams are excellent.
  • Sabotage gives us something different than expected.  I like that the trailer teased our expectations.
  • The movie feels real.  It is full of violence, profane language, and takes us into a world where brutality and death are ways of life.  This isn’t an action movie where dozens of people get killed and the hero quips one-liners.
  • I liked the ending.

The Bad:

  • Some people are going to be put off by the violence and profanity.  From what I had heard I went in expecting it to be much worse than it was. [Not that I wanted more.]
  • What happens when you cross drug dealers.
  • What happens when you can no longer trust your team.

The Ugly:

  • Parking on a train track.
  • Hanging out on the ceiling.
  • Not being able to see where you’re driving when you’re making an escape.

Rating: 4 out of 5

Schwarzenegger “Sabotaged” By Excessive Violence?

Sabotage starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and directed by David Ayer opens today.  By all accounts Sabotage is very, very violent.  While I don’t mind a “R” rated film, some reviews indicate that Sabotage goes too far.  I plan to see Sabotage today and judge for myself, but too much violence will keep away viewers and is really unnecessary.

IMPAwards has several Sabotage character posters on display… and not a single one is overly violent.

Celebrity Encounters at MegaCon 2014

This Friday and Saturday I spent time at MegaCon with my buddy John Beatty.  While I was at the show hanging with Big John, my wife, Doralya was relaxing at the hotel.

On Friday afternoon Doralya sent me a text that Steven Yeun (who plays Glen on The Walking Dead) was staying in our hotel and she saw him getting into a limo.  I could tell from her text and the number of exclamation points that she was excited to see a celebrity up-close.

At dinner that night Doralya told me of an encounter that she had with Bryan Johnson, one of the stars of Comic Book Men.  Doralya was sitting outside reading when Bryan Johnson walked by.

They made eye-contact and Doralya said, “I know you! I watch you on tv every week!”  Bryan smiled and replied, “You do?”  He was probably surprised since my wife doesn’t look like someone who would watch Comic Book Men.

A few minutes later Bryan walked back through the area and made a point to say, “Good-bye” to Doralya.

I teased Doralya a bit that the only thing she could think to say was, “I know you” to a complete stranger.  We laughed and headed back to the hotel.

Doralya was standing in front of me as the elevator doors opened and I heard her say in a surprised voice, “Well, hello!”  I heard a voice say, “Hello.”  It was Ming Chen of Comic Book Men.  As he left the elevator we made eye contact…

… and the only thing I could think to say was, “Well, hello.”  Ming replied, “Hello” as he continued to wherever he was going.

As we got on the elevator I expected Doralya to return the teasing I gave her.  At least her comment to a celebrity was original.  All I could think to say was to repeat what Doralya had said.  She didn’t tease me though.  I guess she understood that I wasn’t as used to celebrity encounters as she was.

How Many Gangs were in The Warriors?

How many gangs were featured in Walter Hill’s cult classic The Warriors?

Let’s see…

There were, of course, the Warriors.

Everybody remembers the Baseball Furies.

The gang that called all gangs for a meet were the Gramercy Riffs.

Then there was the scary gang that rode [inside and outside] the school bus — the Turnbull AC’s.

The all girl gang was the Lizzies.

The gang that almost let the Warriors pass through their territory was the Orphans (so low on the gang food chain they weren’t even invited to the gathering).

The gang that set all other gangs on the Warriors were the Rouges.

There was a gang that dressed flashy and were only seen at the start and they were called the Boppers.

So I got 8.  Did you do better?

There were actually 21 street gangs featured in The Warriors and Mental Floss counts them down for us!

Powell & Churilla: “Big Trouble in Little China”

That’s Eric Powell’s cover (one of many variants) for the new Big Trouble in Little China comic series coming from Boom! Studios.  Eric “The Goon” Powell will be taking on the writing chores with art from Brian “The Sixth Gun” Churilla.

Powell and Churilla were recently interviewed about the project at CBR,com so if you’re a fan you ought to click over.

David “Brohawk” Williams Takes on Rambo

I’ve been a fan of David “Brohawk” Williams’ art from the moment I first laid eyes on it.  Most folks become fans that quickly because Brohawk is THAT great.  

When I had a chance to meet David at HeroesCon in 2012, I was thrilled when he agreed to do a Stallone Rambo sketch for me.  Awesome, isn’t it?  And that’s just from a photo.  The actual art is too big for my scanner!