monkeyking

May 4, 2014 7:43 am Oh, and I saw the movie outside the US and definitely all the people with me did not know the "real" story of Gwen Stacy. It was a very effective scene in that respect as it visibly moved my friends.

May 4, 2014 7:40 am I'm on team Conor, it's both good and bad. Some of the "bad" is even in the part that everyone kind of really agrees on as pretty good-- the Peter and Gwen relationship. I felt that there was no coherent through-line of this plot, and it just meandered and limped along until the demands of a formulaic three-act structure allowed it to do something. And even Garfield himself is both good and bad. I really like him as Peter Parker, but I really don't buy into his Spider-Man. There's too much of a disconnect from his voice and the character on the screen (whether that's in a suit or animated) so that it feels like an unimpassioned voice over of an international dub. Some of that could be scripting issues, like jokes that don't land, but Garfield doesn't really play up the dual identity of Peter vs Spider. I'm not asking for Orphan Black levels of dual identity, but some kind of differentiated performance would be needed.

April 28, 2014 4:43 am One more "father" story for ya, the Sandman and his daughter story, which a google search tells me was Fred van Lente and Javier Pulido waay back in Amazing Spider-man #616 in 2010 and available in Spider-Man: The Gauntlet vol. 1 trade.

April 6, 2014 8:44 am I certainly don't want to praise the film as I would definitely pan it just as much as you guys. (I gave it a "decidedly Meh" on my blog at atouchofkoan.wordpress.com http://wp.me/p2xlVk-3O) However, I do think there was a little bit more going on than you talk about, like with the Punisher. I think the film was trying to compare/contrast the Punisher's typical M.O. with the Widow, but it wasn't ever really developed and there was in effect no change in the character by the end of the film so I guess it's fair that you missed it. Likewise I think the Widow was supposed to change from being a company yes-man, as it were, to more of a lone wolf because of her acknowledgement of Punisher's style, but this was hijacked by the very forced and trope-ridden love story that the film somehow turned into. Also, while the film practically begs for some discussion about the process of its creation, I think you guys get a little overboard in discussing the business side of things as well as making so many comparisons to DC (and its business side of things.) If you want to do that, that's cool, but I think a bit more research may be called for. This film is produced in conjunction with Sony Pictures Entertainment Japan, which means that it's also meant for the Japanese market. This was a bit more explicit in their previous endeavors in creating "Marvel Anime," and perhaps this production was hastened to the American DVD market thanks to the Captain America movie, but it's just as logical to assume that this is primarily made and created with a different stakeholders/audiences in mind, and that's what's turning you off. Marvel Animation also creates their own solely owned properties, which results in different animated products entirely. Of course, some of that is like Hulk Agents of SMASH which has it's own problems, too. :)

August 24, 2013 9:04 pm As my free time fluctuates a lot; so does my interaction with iFanboy. To use your Flash example, you don't have to set up Barry's origin at all with my requirement to focus on the villains. Modern audiences may not know who "the Flash" is, but they know who "Superheroes" are. You can already have a Flash as a celebrity hero with a museum and everything -- that's just *what* he is, and the Rise of Captain Cold will show us "so what" about him. (In this case I'd say have the museum be a quick exposition dump to get that tedious origin done with, if we even need it at all.) We're basically saying the same thing as you make the same argument for Batman. I think it could work for most (but I admit not all) heroes, too.

August 24, 2013 8:40 am Thanks... I meant to say "what makes a story a story is more than the character himself" (I should add a "slash herself" while i'm at it.) I think the closest example to what I am referring to is Spider-Man 2 which could be seen just as much as a Doctor Octopus movie while still giving Spidey a chance to show his character arc and heroic journey. Spider-Man 3 could have done the same if it was "just" a Venom-movie or a Sandman-movie or a Goblin movie but not all 3 at the same time! To be more specific to the article above, how about we consider: Man of Steel 2: Make it a Braniac movie, which allows Superman to show off his conflict of Kryptonian/Earth heritage Green Lantern: Make it a Manhunter movie, which gives John Stewart, Guy, really anyone to show off conflict of authority versus autonomy Justice League: Even a minor character like Prometheus could allow the heroes to display why they really are heroes Batman Rebooted: Do a Court of Owls movie, nuff said

August 24, 2013 1:43 am just a warning, don't read this in your post-workout rest on the couch. I fell asleep. Twice.

August 24, 2013 12:14 am i have an idea for fixing the movie universe of ANY comic-based movie, but who will listen? After 95+ comments here and already everyone talking about Justice League Canada and Affleck-Batman, it's unlikely I can get any traction to this thought-- and that's aside from the fact that it is like any "great idea" completely subjective. But my idea for fixing the movie universe is to finally tell VILLAINS stories in the hero's movies. In other words, there's a reason that heroes' movies are always origin stories-- it's because it's got a built in plot structure and character arc. Once that's done, it's as if the movie makers have no idea where to go. Batman's movies had "legs" because its sequels in the 80s/90s were about others' origins (adding Robin, adding Batgirl). Once they were done with origins it's back to rebooting to tell the origins AGAIN. Really, what makes a story a story is the character himself. What I mean is, it's not a Green Lantern movie, that's just a character. It's not a Space Cop movie, that's just a set up. It's got to be a story about overcoming fear through willpower. So obviously you have to have Sinestro as your villain. A new Flash movie doesn' t have to be about Flash, but it has to be about slowing down versus speeding up, so your movie is just as much a Captain Cold movie. As much as I think Superman vs. Elite was pandering and oversimplified, it's an example of what I mean-- you don't have to worry about Superman's origin, just get into the real story which is about doing the right thing. That story could only be told with the villains/Manchester Black. It's what comic book writers are doing month in and month out, but the movies haven't even considered yet.

August 12, 2013 8:24 am also? comics are for kids. or they were, and on some level they still are, despite the "mature" subjects and depictions. on some level, you have to accept the metaphorical and allegorical levels of these stories like a kid would.

July 16, 2013 12:43 pm i agree with all of it. the character designs were OK, although I think Batman's really works well, including the body shape/silhoutte and texture. but when things start to move... ugh. amateurish and below basic. no weight, relies on "clever" camera moves to create feeling, and no variation of expressions. i'd swear the timing was off too because the voices and designs did not match well.