Search Results for: book of eli

“The Book of Eli” Review – Some Spoilers

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The Pitch: Denzel Washington and the Hughes Brothers team to bring us a post-apocalyptic action/adventure.

The Overview: Denzel Washington plays a lone traveler on a holy mission to take the last remaining bible to a place that he will know once he gets there.  Gary Oldman is the town boss who wants the bible to strengthen his power over those living in his town.

The Good: Denzel is always good and this role is no exception.  The concept works.  Tom Waits as the town barterer.  The old cannibal couple.  The first action sequence set-up.

The Bad: The fight scenes go by too quickly.  Not showing how Denzel got out of a locked room in which he was being held a prisoner.  Later, when Denzel walks away and is being shot at, no one seems overly surprised when he is not hit.  Even later, Denzel shot point blank in the stomach looks to be dying.  In the next scene he slaps some duct tape on the wound and gets up to continue his journey.

The Ugly: Life in Oldman’s town.  What happens if you touch Denzel after being warned not to.

The Summary: I enjoyed the movie, but wish that some of the fight scenes had been longer and clearer.  I get that the intent was to show how quickly Denzel could dispatch a half dozen thugs, but it would have been more enjoyable to see the scenes as more than a blur or in shadow.  I also get that Denzel’s escape from the room was supposed to be a shock to his captors, but it felt like a cheat to just accept that he was out without seeing how he did it.

I guess that’s what is a bit odd… the whole movie is about a man’s faith that God is taking him on a mission.   He doesn’t know where or why, but his faith is enough to protect him and get him through to the end.  Of course, faith is believing in something that you can’t directly see and yet, it was the things that I couldn’t directly see in the movie that I found to be my biggest complaint.

COMICS for UKRAINE: SUNFLOWER SEEDS – An Amazing All Star Book to Support Ukraine Relief!

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These are just two of the covers available for the benefit book, Comics for Ukraine: Sunflower Seeds.  The cover on the left is by Alex Ross and the right is by Dave Johnson.  Click on either to see them biggie-sized.

Comics for Ukraine: Sunflower Seeds features an incredible roster of comics talent united under the mission of providing relief to the war-torn Ukraine, which has suffered attacks from neighboring Russia since late February.

“Like everyone, I have been sickened by the atrocities perpetrated on the Ukrainian people for nearly two months,” said Scott Dunbier, editor of the anthology, “and I had to do something, anything, to try and help. The comic-book community is full of good and caring people who have stepped up to say, ‘I stand with Ukraine,’ and to contribute to this book.”

With the exception of hard costs (printing, credit-card fees, marketing) all of the funds raised by Comics for Ukraine: Sunflower Seeds will benefit the relief efforts in Ukraine in partnership with Operation USA. Since time of of the essence, once the campaign concludes and payments have been collected by Zoop, all funds will be sent to Operation USA immediately.

“We at OpUSA are so grateful for the support of Mr. Dunbier and all artists and writers involved with this project” says Mary Dolan, Director of Communications. “Operation USA is entirely privately funded, so projects such as Comics for Ukraine play a vital role in building our capacity to provide critical relief where needed most. Proceeds from this project will have a direct impact on the lives of those deeply affected by the ongoing war—improving conditions for Ukrainian refugees in Poland and other nearby countries via the provision of emergency grants and in-kind material aid. We thank all those involved in this meaningful project.”

Comics for Ukraine: Sunflower Seeds includes,,,

  • Covers by Alex Ross, Dave Johnson, Art Adams, Bill Sienkiewicz
  • A brand new Astro City short story by Kurt Busiek and Brent Anderson
  • A brand new Chew short story by John Layman and Rob Guillory
  • A brand new Star Slammers short story by Walt Simonson
  • A brand new American Flagg short story by Howard Chaykin
  • A brand new Usagi Yojimbo short story by Stan Sakai
  • A brand new Grendel short story by Matt Wagner
  • A brand new Groo short story by Mark Evanier and Sergio Aragones
  • A brand new Scary Godmother short story by Jill Thompson
  • The Cost of War short story by Louise Simonson and June Brigman
  • Hardrada short story by Dave Gibbons and Chris Sprouse
  • A short story by Mark Waid and Gabriel Rodriguez
  • Bombings short story by Emil Ferris
  • And More…

Comics for Ukraine: Sunflower Seeds features an amazing array of talent including many more folks than I’ve listed above.  Plus with “the exception of hard costs (printing, credit-card fees, marketing) all of the funds raised by Comics for Ukraine: Sunflower Seeds will benefit the relief efforts in Ukraine in partnership with Operation USA” makes supporting the project a no-brainer.

Click over to get full details.  If you’re not a comics fan, but want to donate to the cause, there’s a place for that as well.  It’s a tough choice on which variant to get, but I’ve settled on the Dave Johnson cover.  Sound off with your choice if you’re in!

KILLADELPHIA Deluxe Edition, Book One by Rodney Barnes & Jason Shawn Alexander is Coming!

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Killadelphia took the comic world by storm.  If you know, you know.  If you don’t know, here’s a summary…

Finally, the acclaimed horror title which was nominated for an Eisner Award for “best new series” is collected in a stunning hardcover featuring the first 12 issues and more!

From RODNEY BARNES, the breakout star comics scribe and television writer behind HBO’s Winning Time, and the show-stopping artist who redefined SPAWN for a new generation, JASON SHAWN ALEXANDER.

When a small-town beat cop comes home to bury his murdered father, revered Philadelphia detective James Sangster Sr., he stumbles into a mystery that will lead him down a path of horrors and shake his beliefs to their core. The city that was once the symbol of liberty and freedom has fallen prey to corruption, poverty, unemployment, brutality…and vampires.

Now, it’s up to Jimmy and an unexpected companion to stop long-thought-dead President of the United States John Adams from building an undead army and staging a bloody new American revolution.

There’s a reason they say you can’t go home again. Welcome to Killadelphia.

Collects KILLADELPHIA #1-12 and chapters 1-5 of the terrifying werewolf tie-in story ELYSIUM GARDENS

I’m glad that Killadelphia is getting the deluxe hardcover treatment.  I’m looking forward to mine.  Pre-orders are available now.

“The Mosquito Coast” starring Justin Theroux and Melissa George – The Trailer is Here!

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I like this trailer for The Mosquito Coast starring Justin Theroux and Melissa George.

The Mosquito Coast is adapted from Paul Theroux’s best-selling novel of the same name and in 1986 had been made into a movie directed by Peter Weir, starring Harrison Ford, Helen Mirren and River Phoenix.  I’ve never read the book or seen the 1986 movie, but I’d be interested in seeing the latest mini-series adaptation.  Check out the trailer below and see if you don’t agree.

A brilliant rebel (Justin Theroux) and his wife (Melissa George) take their family on the run to protect them, but end up exposing them to more danger than ever. At every turn of their adventure, they encounter increasing threats and intensifying moral choices from which there’s no turning back. Watch April 30 exclusively on Apple TV+ https://apple.co/_MosquitoCoast

​Adapted from the best-selling novel by Paul Theroux, Mosquito Coast is executive produced by Neil Cross, Rupert Wyatt, Paul Theroux, Justin Theroux and Edward L. McDonnell. Alan Gasmer, Peter Jaysen and Bob Bookman also serve as executive producers for Veritas Entertainment Group. The series was developed by Neil Cross and Tom Bissell, created for television by Neil Cross, and is a Fremantle Production for Apple TV+

RIP: Jacqueline Stallone

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Jacqueline Stallone passed away this morning at the age of 98.  Best known as the mother of Sylvester and Frank Stallone, she was much more than just the parent of famous brothers.

Here is part of what Frank posted on his Instagram…

This morning my brothers and I lost our mother Jackie Stallone . She was the mother to four children, Tommy, Sylvester, Frankie and my late sister Toni Ann. She was a remarkable woman working out everyday full of spunk and fearless . She died in her sleep as she had wished. It was hard not to like her, she was very eccentric and flamboyant person.

Jackie, as she was known, was indeed a remarkable woman.  She was always into fitness and training.  As a young woman she performed as a trapeze artist!  She was also a nightclub dancer.  Jackie Stallone was the first woman to have a daily exercise and fitness show in Washington, D.C. Later in her career she owned Barbella’s, a gym for women.

Jackie became a popular guest on talk shows where she discussed not only her famous sons but also her astrology books and psychic hotline.  She also became involved with GLOW – the Gorgeous Women of Wrestling!

Jackie Stallone was a powerhouse.  Frank was right in describing her as eccentric, flamboyant, fearless and hard not to like. 

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Jacqueline Stallone’s family, friends and fans.

“Deliverance” Trivia!

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Rob Hunter at Film School Rejects posted 31 Things We Learned from John Boorman’s ‘Deliverance’ Commentary.  Before you click over, here are three of my favorites…

9. Dickey took Boorman aside, made him promise not to repeat this, and said, “I’m going to tell you something I never told a living soul, everything in that book happened to me.” The director later learned that he did the same with other members of the cast and crew. “When I got into a canoe with James Dickey and he capsized it, I realized that nothing in this book had happened to him.”

(Dickey was not well liked on the set — there’s another quote in the piece that talked about Dickey’s drinking and interfering with the movie and Burt Reynolds has a funny response. – Craig)

15. “I had no doubles, no stuntmen,” says Boorman. “I don’t like the idea of stuntmen because if a shot is dangerous enough that you need a stunt man then you shouldn’t be doing it.” He acknowledges that there are exceptions including one instance where Voight was doubled (while Reynolds insisted on doing his part himself), but in general he prefers doing the scenes with the actual actors.

(Reynolds, as most folks know always wanted to do his own stunts and respected the stunt crew.  But stunts were not the only differences between Voight and Reynolds are you’ll see in the next quote. – Craig)

26. While Reynolds preferred to move quickly through every scene, Voight challenged almost every decision in need of explanation and reason which dragged things out. Voight would also require three minutes before shooting scenes where he’s meant to seem exhausted because he would run around the area to tire himself out. Reynolds, by contrast, would spritz his face to simulate sweat and then breath hard. Boorman found the two to be good influences on each other.

(They have two different schools of thoughts in preparing for a scene.  Some like to prepare, research and stay in character and others are able to just do it.  I can’t remember the actor and I’m paraphrasing but when asked how he was able to just jump into a scene and take on whatever emotion without first preparing, his response was, “I act.” – Craig)

“Over the Top” Poster by Robert Sammelin

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Robert Sammelin created this Over the Top poster. Sammelin, who lives in Sweden, is an Art Director and illustrator whose art can be found on video games, album covers, posters, illustrations, and comic books. 

Sammelin is also the first featured artist at JoBlo’s Awesome Art We’ve Found on the Net: Artist’s Edition.  If you click over you’ll see Sammelin’s riffs on Dirty Dancing; Escape from New York; Night of the Living Dead; Logan; Mad Max: Fury Road and more.  Then jump over to Sammelin’s Instagram for the full load.

The 10 Best Comic Book Horror Movies

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Brad Gullickson and Film School Rejects present The 10 Best Comic Book Horror Movies.  Using just Gullickson’s list, here are his comments (and mine) for my top three:

30 Days of Night (2007)
Most vampire movies leave me cold, so color me surprised to find one of my favorites set in the freezing wasteland of Alaska’s eternal night. In addition to a brilliant premise — a tribe of vamps arriving in Barrow, AK just as the town settles into month-long seasonal darkness — the film delivers with some truly brutal and terrifically designed creatures and kills, engaging characters, and memorable cinematography. It’s a tight, visceral horror film that breathes life into the undead the same way 28 Days Later did with “zombies,” and it ends with a legitimately touching emotional beat. Now where’s my goddamn sequel?! (he said, knowing full well a lesser follow-up came and went in 2010). – Rob Hunter

Craig: I was a big fan of Steve Niles work, so his (and Ben Templesmith’s) 30 Days of Night comic series set the bar pretty high.  I loved the concept of an isolated city in Alaska about to go through its annual 30 days of night.  Of course vampires would want to go there.  And they do, with the intent to wipe out the town during a month of excessive feasting.  Just writing about this movie makes me want to view it again.=

The Crow (1994)
From page to screen, the legacy of The Crow is synonymous with tragedy. The original graphic novel was created as a form of catharsis for writer James O’Barr after his girlfriend was taken too soon because of a drunk driver. Of course, most of you will know the story of Brandon Lee’s freak death while filming a shootout scene cpurtesy of a real bullet among the blanks. As a result, there’s an air of melancholy to The Crow that few other movies have captured. At the same time, it’s also a highly stylish and entertaining actioner with a rocking soundtrack befitting of the dark gods. The sequels all suck, but the first movie is a bona fide masterpiece of supernatural vigilante storytelling. – Kieran Fisher

Craig:  Like 30 Days of Night, I was familiar with James O’Barr’s The Crow from it’s first published appearance in Caliber comics.  The movie did a great job of adapting the comics and staying true to O’Barr’s vision.  Brandon Lee (Bruce Lee’s son, who died during filming) was a bonus.

Blade II (2002)

I love Wesley Snipes, and I adore the joyful bravado that he injects into his Daywalker. He may pretend he’s brooding, but that’s a cat who (internally) whistles while he works. Slaying vampires has never been more satisfying. But – look. This is not just a Blade film. Guillermo del Toro came off Mimic and The Devil’s Backbone and threw his entire geeky consciousness into Blade II. Each frame is packed with references to Hellboy, Watchmen, The Searchers, Vampire Hunter D, Predator, Nosferatu, etc. For as suave and cool as the vampires were in the original film, del Toro comes at his Reapers with a Richard Matheson “I Am Legend” mentality. These are not pretty creatures that sip blood to the tunes of the children of the night. These are savage animals that threaten to devour the world, and force night and day walkers to unite in a Dirty Dozen team-up. The climax amounts to a vicious series of showdowns between hero and monster: the traitor, the goon, the count, and finally, the beast. After all is said and done, you may even find yourself getting misty over the tragedy of it all. – Brad Gullickson

Craig: I never read comics featuring Blade.  I didn’t care for the original Blade movie at all.  I thought Wesley Snipes was perfect as Blade and as a fan of Guillermo del Toro, willing to give Blade II a chance.  I am so glad I did, because I loved it.  How could you not love Blade going up against the King of all Vampires?  Blade II is going to get another viewing from me soon.

The Unlikely Story of the “Enter The Dragon” Novelization

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Enter the Dragon is one of my all-time favorite films.  The photo above is from the novelization written by Mike Roote.  I read this adaptation in 10th grade.  I got the book from Mrs. Adams’ student library.  Although not as good as the film (how could it be?), I enjoyed reliving the Enter the Dragon experience.

It is important to remember…

…that in the early ’70s – unless a film was shown on TV or did a second round in cinemas – there wasn’t much scope for a re-watch. This was before VHS existed, so buying a book was your best way of reliving the magic.

The Enter the Dragon novelization was a best-seller!   Mike Roote must have been a pretty cool guy to get the gig.

Except Mike Roote wasn’t a guy at all!

Mike Roote was actually a woman named Leonore Fleischer!  Mike Roote was just one of her many pen-names.

If you’ve read this far, you’d probably enjoy The Unlikely Story of the Enter The Dragon Novelization by Craig Lines for Den of Geek.   You’ll learn a lot about the adaptation and may just discover that you’ve read one or more of Fleischer’s novels even if it wasn’t under written her name.

 

 

The Masters of Comic Book Art – 1987 Video Interviews with Legends!

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Master of Comic Book Art was created in 1987, hosted by Harlan Ellison and features interviews with Will Eisner, Harvey Kurtzman, Jack Kirby, Steve Ditko, Neal Adams, Berni Wrightson, Frank Miller, Moebius, Dave Sim and Art Speigleman.

Hard to believe that 30 years have passed since this was made.  Of course that does explain why they look so young.

Enjoy!

Source: Bendis!