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Post by hondobrode on Dec 23, 2016 0:44:51 GMT -5
 Ok, so this next one is kind of nuts. I’ve heard of this Herge guy and I’ve heard of Tintin, the kid investigative reporter and his wire-haired fox terrier sidekick Snowy and their global adventures. I’ve even read a full panels here and there and liked what I saw but have never read an entire adventure; but I’ve liked what little I’ve seen. Then these two movie guys think they can pull off something, similar but magical, with it. Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson Ok, so I was going to see this anyway out of curiosity but these two just bumped it up to a ringer. Must see now And I did and I loved it ! I feel ridiculous saying that, but I fell hard for this whole Tintin thing. I get it No wonder this is a European phenomenon ! He does what Right and Good, not unlike a Boy Scout, and through his untainted character, we experience the wide world of wonder. We meet Captain Haddock, the bold if alcoholic boat captain and bumbling detectives Thomson and Thompson. I won’t go into all the details, but Tintin gets in a prolonged skirmish with the villain, Ivan Sakharine, who wants the ship a bottle The Unicorn that Tintin bought at a market. It’s one of three each with a hidden scroll that when put together tell the coordinates of a ship that was sunk to keep its treasure safe at sea. As one can imagine, swashbuckling, airplanes, chase scenes, espionage and more abound.  Herge’s clean art style are translated nicely to the screen via motion capture animation, giving tribute while having 21st century style and sensibilities. As you can see here, it predates yet feels of the best parts of Charles Schulz, Alex Toth and Indiana Jones. |
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Post by foxley on Dec 23, 2016 0:49:45 GMT -5
Ok, so this next one is kind of nuts. I’ve heard of this Herge guy and I’ve heard of Tintin, the kid investigative reporter and his wire-haired fox terrier sidekick Snowy and their global adventures. I’ve even read a full panels here and there and liked what I saw but have never read an entire adventure; but I’ve liked what little I’ve seen. Then these two movie guys think they can pull off something, similar but magical, with it. Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson Ok, so I was going to see this anyway out of curiosity but these two just bumped it up to a ringer. Must see now And I did and I loved it ! I feel ridiculous saying that, but I fell hard for this whole Tintin thing. I get it No wonder this is a European phenomenon ! He does what Right and Good, not unlike a Boy Scout, and through his untainted character, we experience the wide world of wonder. We meet Captain Haddock, the bold if alcoholic boat captain and bumbling detectives Thomson and Thompson. I won’t go into all the details, but Tintin gets in a prolonged skirmish with the villain, Ivan Sakharine, who wants the ship a bottle The Unicorn that Tintin bought at a market. It’s one of three each with a hidden scroll that when put together tell the coordinates of a ship that was sunk to keep its treasure safe at sea. As one can imagine, swashbuckling, airplanes, chase scenes, espionage and more abound. Herge’s clean art style are translated nicely to the screen via motion capture animation, giving tribute while having 21st century style and sensibilities. As you can see here, it predates yet feels of the best parts of Charles Schulz, Alex Toth and Indiana Jones. This was one of the last items to get bumped off my list. I'm really pleased to see it made someone else's. |
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Post by coke & comics on Dec 23, 2016 0:55:49 GMT -5
3. Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind (1984)  A fairly straight if abridged adaptation of his brilliant comic series, this film propelled Hayao Miyazaki to stardom, led to the founding of the world's greatest animation studio, and was followed by a dazzling array of brilliant animation, from other Miyazaki masterpieces like My Neighbor Totoro or Princess Mononoke to the works of his brilliant collaborators like Whisper of the Heart or Tale of Princess Kaguya. This film works for all the reasons the comic works. And it all comes down to the main character, Nausicaa. A hero whose powers are empathy and relentless optimism. The world is dying. Giant bugs are on the rampage. Plants emits spores poisonous to humans. A decay spreads throughout the world and will soon consume everything. And in its final days, the last of humanity is at war with each other for what little resources are left. Yet she holds on to hope. Given every reason to hate, she chooses instead to understand. She understands her kingdom's enemies. She understands the plants. And the bugs. And even the spreading toxic jungle. And in her understanding lies hope for the world.  I watched the film and read the comic for the first time just a few years ago and was enthralled. I think the comic is one of the medium's great masterpieces of imaginative world-building. ----------- The hours between now and tomorrow's post will seem like a crawl. Does that work? Too subtle? Maybe... My entry tomorrow will leave you spinning. Better? No? How about... See you in this neighborhood tomorrow. I give up. New entry tomorrow.
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Post by hondobrode on Dec 23, 2016 1:07:27 GMT -5
I haven't seen this but want to.
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Post by Pól Rua on Dec 23, 2016 2:56:32 GMT -5
Ok, so this next one is kind of nuts. I’ve heard of this Herge guy and I’ve heard of Tintin, the kid investigative reporter and his wire-haired fox terrier sidekick Snowy and their global adventures. I’ve even read a full panels here and there and liked what I saw but have never read an entire adventure; but I’ve liked what little I’ve seen. Then these two movie guys think they can pull off something, similar but magical, with it. Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson Ok, so I was going to see this anyway out of curiosity but these two just bumped it up to a ringer. Must see now And I did and I loved it ! I feel ridiculous saying that, but I fell hard for this whole Tintin thing. I get it No wonder this is a European phenomenon ! He does what Right and Good, not unlike a Boy Scout, and through his untainted character, we experience the wide world of wonder. We meet Captain Haddock, the bold if alcoholic boat captain and bumbling detectives Thomson and Thompson. I won’t go into all the details, but Tintin gets in a prolonged skirmish with the villain, Ivan Sakharine, who wants the ship a bottle The Unicorn that Tintin bought at a market. It’s one of three each with a hidden scroll that when put together tell the coordinates of a ship that was sunk to keep its treasure safe at sea. As one can imagine, swashbuckling, airplanes, chase scenes, espionage and more abound. Herge’s clean art style are translated nicely to the screen via motion capture animation, giving tribute while having 21st century style and sensibilities. As you can see here, it predates yet feels of the best parts of Charles Schulz, Alex Toth and Indiana Jones. I also REALLY enjoyed this. There are so many people in Hollywood trying to make the newest, the biggest, the best. Everyone's trying to push the envelope... but sometimes, all you need are the classic elements done well, with sincerity. I was utterly thrilled and totally engaged with this film. It was just so freaking charming and exciting. It wasn't full of big explosions and earth-shaking set pieces (and the one big set-piece it DID have is the one big of the film that left me a bit cold), but you were engaged with the characters, invested in their adventures, wanting to know the next clue, the next secret, and wondering how they were going to get out of THIS mess... ...sometimes, instead of trying to do something 'new' and 'original', it can be a good idea to step back, look at the classics, and remember just why the stuff they did worked so damn well in the first place. |
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Post by wildfire2099 on Dec 23, 2016 8:31:16 GMT -5
I haven't seen this but want to. Every one of Miyazaki's movies are great and well worth watching. My personal favorite is Howl's Moving Castle, but you can't go wrong with any of them... Nausicaa is a close 2nd. 3. Batman: The Animated Series Not sure I have a whole lot to add to what others have said about the Dini-verse masterpiece, other than this is really the best of all versions of Batman... mysterious and competent, but with moments of humanity.  |
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Post by MDG on Dec 23, 2016 12:20:41 GMT -5
Batman (1966)
Do have have to say “You hadda be there?” For comic fans (and maybe most kids) who grew up in the U.S. in the ‘60s, the Batman TV show was a touchstone. It loomed large in the public consciousness for a couple years there. The right show at the right time. Maybe not what revisionist comic fans would’ve wanted, but it got comics in front of everybody’s face—constantly.
I’d love to see a graph of licensing revenue from comic characters before and after Batman—he was everywhere: magazines, gumball machines, toy stores—and where it wasn’t Batman himself, it was the look. And it’s hard to think of another American narrative TV show of the era that went so far to create a specific, unique look (the others that stand out are Ernie Kovacs, The Avengers, and Laugh-In).
It took a while for some fans to come to terms with it—many still haven’t. After this show, lines were drawn.
But it’s still a fun watch—a time capsule that goes beyond the character or comics.
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Confessor
CCF Mod Squad
Not Bucky O'Hare!
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Post by Confessor on Dec 23, 2016 12:55:18 GMT -5
#3: Sin City (2005)  I'm not much of a fan of the Sin City comics. I picked up all six parts of the That Yellow B***ard mini-series back in the late '90s, but I can't say it really did much for me and I eventually sold them a year or two later. Frank Miller and Robert Rodriguez's film adaptation of Sin City, on the other hand, I love! The film is a collection of interlocking short-stories, all set in the hardboiled, hyper-noir environs of the fictitious Basin City. Mickey Rourke is perfectly cast as the unbalanced psychopath Marv, as is Bruce Willis in the role of the embittered, but righteous cop, Hartigan. The rest of the cast excel in their roles too, with Jessica Alba as Nancy Callahan and Elijah Wood as Kevin the cannibalistic serial killer, being two particularly memorable portrayals. One of the things that I love about this film is that it looks as stylish as all hell, with its stark, high contrast blacks and whites, broken only by the occasional, vivid splash of primary colour. The characters are frequently caught up in cartoonish, Tarantino-esque ultra-violence, with the men coming on like Mickey Spillane' characters on steroids, while the women are pulp magazine "bad girls" through and through – all attitude, lingerie and fetish wear. Initially, when I was making my list, I was gonna include the sequel as well, but I've only watched it once and I don't honestly feel as if I can appraise it accurately enough to decide whether it deserves to be ranked alongside this first film. So instead, I've decided to stick with what I know and place Sin City in the number 3 position on my list on its own.
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Post by coke & comics on Dec 23, 2016 13:32:52 GMT -5
Initially, when I was making my list, I was gonna include the sequel as well, but I've only watched it once and I don't honestly feel as if I can appraise it accurately enough to decide whether it deserves to be ranked alongside this first film. So instead, I've decided to stick with what I know and place Sin City in the number 3 position on my list on its own. Good call. |
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Post by Prince Hal on Dec 23, 2016 16:59:20 GMT -5
#3. The Dark Knight (2008)For decades, frustrated comic fans sat through disappointing adaptation after disappointing adaptation hoping that, one day, a filmmaker would bring to the screen a comic character in exactly the way that they had seen in their heads for all these years. Finally, beginning with Sam Rami's Spiderman in 2002 (and you're very welcome, Kurt  ), this became a reality, and comic movies began looking and feeling a lot like their source material. Then came The Dark Knight. This is not the Batman and Joker I ever saw in my head. I doubt it's what anyone ever saw in their heads. Instead, this film transcended the source material and used Batman to depict something that was bigger than the comics. The Dark Knight is NOT a Batman film; it's an American tragedy I would place on the shelf beside The Godfather. It's a deep exploration of justice, ethics, politics, media, and heroism that couldn't be told without Batman and The Joker, and yet isn't really about them at all. I didn't leave this film thinking "Wow. THAT's Batman!" I left thinking "Wow. THAT's America!". The Joker is... well, I don't want to spoil this wonderful annual panoply of gifts we give each other, but I think it's clear that the Joker sounds disturbingly similar to another devotee of chaos who also has a clownishly colored face, oddly colored hair, no affect and no soul. I'm going to have to rewatch this. "If you're good at something, never do it for free." "Do I really look like a guy with a plan? You know what I am? I'm a dog chasing cars. I wouldn't know what to do with one if I caught it! You know, I just... do things." "You see, their morals, their code, it's a bad joke. Dropped at the first sign of trouble. They're only as good as the world allows them to be. I'll show you. When the chips are down, these... these civilized people, they'll eat each other. See, I'm not a monster. I'm just ahead of the curve." "Do you want to know why I use a knife? Guns are too quick. You can't savor all the... little emotions." "You know what I've noticed? Nobody panics when things go 'according to plan.' Even if the plan is horrifying!" "Introduce a little anarchy. Upset the established order, and everything becomes chaos. I'm an agent of chaos." |
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Post by Deleted on Dec 23, 2016 19:01:05 GMT -5
The Joker is... well, I don't want to spoil this wonderful annual panoply of gifts we give each other, but I think it's clear that the Joker sounds disturbingly similar to another devotee of chaos who also has a clownishly colored face, oddly colored hair, no affect and no soul. Well she certainly has the scary grandma smile locked just like one of his laughing fish, Sir Falstaff. But I digress. Day 10. Incredible Hulk TV series (1978-1983)
Went from a pint size girl to a pre-teen watching syndicated re-runs on Sci-Fi channel. It's one I grew up with and hold dearest to my heart in terms of nostalgia. Adored Bill Bixby. You just knew he was going to Hulk-out twice in each episode but Bill sold the drama well. I've still never really fancied the comic. |
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Post by Prince Hal on Dec 24, 2016 16:21:02 GMT -5
The Joker is... well, I don't want to spoil this wonderful annual panoply of gifts we give each other, but I think it's clear that the Joker sounds disturbingly similar to another devotee of chaos who also has a clownishly colored face, oddly colored hair, no affect and no soul. Well she certainly has the scary grandma smile locked just like one of his laughing fish, Sir Falstaff. Yeah, and one goofy candid photo is more than reason enough to vote for the Joker. Boning up on your Cyrillic alphabet? PS: Oh, and it's Sir John. Falstaff was his surname. |
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Post by Reptisaurus! on Dec 26, 2016 0:50:36 GMT -5
10. The Dark Knight (2008)  I'm generally not big on grim and gritty, and this movie is the grim and grittiest. It's also long and dense, and not long and dense for a movie based on kid's characters, as long and dense than any other action movie I can name. Seriously, I had to watch it twice just to follow the plot. Still, the effort I put into it ended up being rewarded. DK works so well for me because it's not an adaptation per se, but a vehicle for the filmmakers to talk about how American society works (especially in times of crisis.) Dark Knight ends up being about people's inate goodness and the triumph of heroism, and.. so maybe not so grim after all?
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Post by coke & comics on Dec 26, 2016 1:16:31 GMT -5
10. The Dark Knight (2008) Dark Knight ends up being about people's inate goodness and the triumph of heroism, and.. so maybe not so grim after all? This is my take. While dark and gritty, they are all fairly triumphant films. In contrast to, say, Man of Steel. Which is dark, gritty, and utterly bleak. No sense of victory in sight. Only tragedy compounding. |
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Post by coke & comics on Dec 26, 2016 1:20:52 GMT -5
Tenth Day
Batman: The Animated Series is my #1 choice.
Gotham is all right. I really just think I've been in a bad mood about network dramas these last couple years, and should perhaps be more fair to them. It's just not The Wire, though. I watched the first season, and may get around to Season 2 one of these days.
Have not seen the 1937 Dick Tracy. But I am slowly but surely getting around to all those serials.
Have not seen the modern Tin-Tin film. I should. I haven't gotten into the Tin-Tin comics, but should give them another shot.
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), this became a reality, and comic movies began looking and feeling a lot like their source material.
