Monday, August 25, 2008
The Incredible Hulk 2008 Movie Review
Rating (1-5):
Reviewed by Nick
Official Incredible Hulk 2008 Movie Site
Film Details
Starring: Edward Norton, Liv Tyler, Tim Roth, William Hurt, Tim Blake Nelson, Ty Burrell, Christina Cabot, Peter Mensah, Lou Ferrigno
Genre: Action, Comics
What I liked: The cgi and computer graphics continued to wow me in this version of Hulk. They just keep getting better and better with each Marvel movie. This movie was definitely better than the 2003 movie. I was surprised to see some really good actors in this movie, like Ed Norton and Tim Roth. And some of the ones that were more low key turned out to be pretty good. I like the fact that they included Tony Stark in this movie. He said something about making a force with other people like him and the Hulk, so I’m anticipating the next Marvel movie to be Ultimate Alliance. I hope.
It was also cool that they gave cameo tribute to the original tv Bruce Banner and Hulk actors. In fact Lou Ferrigno did the voice of the Hulk this time too.
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Didn't like: The idea of this whole movie is really cool, a buff green man that loses control and smashes things, what more could you ask for? Honestly though, I don’t mean to be a sourpuss, but it’s so unbelievable. Just the thought of a man growing triple his size, green, and being able to leap tall buildings in a single bound, and then have all of his bones and skin return to normal is ludicrous.
Aside from that, I noticed something that Iron man and this movie had in common that I didn’t like. They both ended up fighting something that was almost exactly what they were. Where’s the creativity? I wanted to see some cool new villains with new special powers, and instead I ended up seeing double.
One last thing that bugged me was how they didn’t explain some of the stuff that happened. For instance, some of Bruce’s blood fell into a cut on the scientist’s head, causing it to ripple and grow. But they didn’t show anything after that. [I’ve been told that the scientist was supposed to be Hulk villain The Leader, though in the comic books the Leader started as a janitor. I smell sequel.]
Recommend for: 8 - 18. Acting fans will love Ed Norton, who always earns his pay.
Labels: comics, marvel, movie review
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DiggThursday, July 31, 2008
Iron Man Movie Review (2008)
Rating (1-5):
Reviewed by Nick
Official Iron Man Movie Site
Film Details
Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Terrence Howard, Jeff Bridges, Gwyneth Paltrow, Leslie Bibb
Genre: Action
What I liked: Robert Downey Jr. does a great acting job in this movie, and is the best possible choice for Iron Man in my opinion. He's very funny, and has plays his character with a cool attitude. Some of the technology introduced in Tony Stark’s house is truly amazing. I wondered why they haven’t made holographic computers or fire extinguishing robots for our time yet.
I loved the iron man suit. It was sleek, and and just made you wish you could slip into it and take off flying. The flying parts were very cool, like a ninja motorbike in the air. And you can't help but get like the heavy metal Ironman soundtrack; it reeks of POWER.
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Didn't like: None of the actors/actress’s performances were outstanding, but they weren’t bad enough to distract me from the movie. As usual, director Jon Favreau is more than likely creating a sequel, but judging by some of the interviews I found, it could just be a box office blunder. One of the things I didn't like about the movie is that it just went on one path the whole time. He built his suit and then went to fight some people. Then he made some adjustments and went to fight the main villain of the movie. The main villain didn't impress me, and his fight with him wasn't as cool as the earlier action, but the effects and camera work were good.
Additional:
>>Dad: "I liked this more than I thought I would. It's very slick. I thought the first 75% were a really cool adaptation of the comic book hero, but then it faded a little at the end.
Recommend for: All ages.
Labels: comics, movie review
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Dark Knight Movie Reviews Rave
Rating (1-5):
Official Movie Site
Film Details
Starring: Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Aaron Eckhart, Michael Caine, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Gary Oldman, Morgan Freeman
Genre: Action
Heath Ledger's performance is getting raves. Below are some selected quotes, with links to reviews I found interesting:
OfficialHeat.com
"I have NEVER seen a movie with this much hype not only live up to the hype, but
surpass any expectation you have due to it. ... It’s FLAWLESS. All the hype in
the world can’t properly prepare you for what they don’t tell or show you."
Passionforcinema.com
"I almost didn’t know how to absorb and analyze the movie at the same time. But
this is a high water mark in big budget cinema that almost seems untouchable."
AtomicPopcorn.com
"So first things first. Does Christopher Nolan’s “The Dark Knight” deserve
all the praise it’s been getting? The answer to that is a resounding
“YES!” With “The Dark Knight”, Nolan has not only crafted a film that
easily surpasses his original (and that’s saying something), but he’s also
created a truly memorable filmgoing experience that is without a doubt the best
movie of the year."
RollingStone.com
"I can only speak superlatives of Ledger, who is mad-crazy-blazing brilliant as the Joker."
Comcast.net
"So go, see "The Dark Knight" and revel in the fact that a "popcorn movie" just might be the best film of the year."
One word of caution. Several reviews said the movie is very DARK, and the Joker is no comic, he's a sadistic, evil killer. You may want to think twice before taking young kids.
Two very good video reviews:
Labels: action, comics, movie review
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Stiller's Viral Video - A Riot
I came across this hilarious viral video on youtube. I have to say Robert Downey Jr. was so funny. He has a great sense of humor.
Lately, at I.C.E. writers camp, I've been learning some handy writing tips for details and using all my senses. I created a character named Hister a few days before camp, and being around all the creative juices I was inspired to write a comic strip about him. I was working on the art today, I will post it up later when I get a chance to scan it. Anyone know any good sites for doing comic books? :]
Labels: comics, humor, Nick Chatter, video
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Interview with 'Anna Smudge' Author: M.A.C
Author: M.A.C.
Book: Anna Smudge: Professional Shrink
Website: http://www.whoismrwho.com/
Genre: Crime Mystery
New author M.A.C just released her first book of "The Professionals" series. It is a story about Anna Smudge, a middle-schooler that turns out to be a professional counselor and gets caught up in the plans of the evil Mr. Who. It was a fun, quick read, and not only launched at ComicCon in NYC, but featured prominent comic book artists Glen Fabry and Greg Horn. After writing the book review and trading a few emails with M.A.C, I asked her for an interview. She was very cool, and has a great sense of humor. Check it out...
M.A.C, what made you want to write a kids book?
Well, I read a bunch of terrific books, one after the other- Harry Potter, Golden Compass, Ender’s Game… books like that, and I was just really inspired. And they all happened to be marked as “juvenile”, whatever that means. A good story is a good story and I don’t think it matters what age group the back cover says.
And funny enough, some of my biggest fans so far have been grownups. So, I really think the line has begun to fade between kid's books and adult books.
I find what you said about kid's books to be very interesting. I have only read Enders Game out of what you listed, and I’m surprised that book was classified as juvenile. It’s quite mature.
When did you decide you wanted to be a writer?
Ever since I can remember I’ve been writing stories. But it wasn’t until seven years ago that I played with the idea of writing as a possible career choice. I balanced writing articles for Popular Science Magazine with writing my own books, and soon, I was writing full-time and I loved it!
Hah! I think I might be the other way around, but we'll see. I still have a lot of school before I start thinking about full-time work.
If you were Anna's age, what Professional would you be?
I’d be the Professional Karaoke Singer who belts out cheesy Barry Manilow songs and drives everyone around me to wear ear plugs. Or else I’d be a Professional Food Critic because I enjoy eating but hate cooking. (Sorry Quenton!)
Those would be pretty funny professionals if you were to write about them. But then again, I'm not sure if a cheesy Barry Manilow impersonator qualifies as “professional”. :)
Do you see part of your personality in the Anna Smudge character?
Yes, definitely. Like Anna, it troubles me to no end when there’s any sort of discord amongst friends or family. I like it when everyone can get along. I also remember a time in middle school when I just felt very overwhelmed by all of the larger-than-life personalities around me. There was a bully (who I will not name because he’s probably a very nice person now…that, or he’s in a Siberian gulag) who followed me around like the plague and made my bus rides absolutely miserable. It really made me retreat into this shell and, like Anna, I didn’t get over my timidity until later.
In the book you detailed Anna’s city well; I was wondering if that was anything like where you grew up.
What was life like where you grew up? Big city? Small town?
I grew up in mid-town Manhattan in an apartment building. I had an Irish doorman who was nowhere near as cool as Percy, and who would always quiz me on where I had I been, where I was going, and who I was meeting. And I was much too polite to tell him to mind his own bees wax.
But growing up in NYC was pretty great. There was always a cool museum exhibit, a new restaurant or a concert to go to. And if you happen to carry around a remote-controlled fart machine, like my friend Paul used to, then you can always get a seat on the subway.
I bet you saw some pretty funny expressions doing that!
So, is Anna going to be in your other Professionals stories?
Yup! Anna is in all six books in the series. I kind of look at her as being the Superman of the group. Anna’s very even-keel and neutral; she is the glue that binds the team together and smoothes over any existing friction.
Well, I think your first book will do well with kids, so I was wondering, what children's story did you love most as a child?
I really loved the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. I have vivid memories of going into my dad’s walk-in closet, stepping through his suits and coats, and being utterly disappointed that there was still a wall on the other side.
No kidding! I recently reviewed a Chronicles of Narnia : Prince Caspian Illustrated Movie Companion. It's not a story book, but has interesting photos and drawings from the artists.
Speaking of artists, how did you get connected with awesome graphic artists Glenn Fabry and Greg Horn?
Well, I’ve been a huge fan of both Glenn and Greg’s work for around eleven years. I’m a voracious comic book reader. I have boxes and boxes of comics in my apartment. So, when the time came to pick artists for the book I adamantly wanted to get talent from that industry.
With Glenn, I wrote up a slew of pretty nutty character descriptions and sent them his way. Lucky enough, he really took to the material and signed on immediately. I couldn’t sleep for two nights I was so excited.
My publisher was actually the one to approach Greg Horn. Greg recently had two very adorable little twins. So, he was open to trying his hand at a new, younger audience.
That rocks. The cover of Anna Smudge: Professional Shrink caught my attention immediately, and the characters are cool. I've been playing with Flash, and would love to mashup that Art Teacher graphic with a scream and splattering paint!
Every time I talk to you I get the feeling you are having fun. So, last question, if you weren't a writer, what would you want to be doing?
Hmmm. Probably something in wild-life rescue where I’d work and live with various animals and help introduce them back into the wild…. That, or a ping-pong player. I’m absolutely ga-ga about ping-pong!
Outstanding! Thank you so much for the time.
To show my appreciation, since you love ping-pong, I've pasted below my favorite ping-pong video. Ping pong Matrix style, which of course was a movie in love with comic book style, just like you M.A.C!
Labels: anna smudge, authors, comics, interviews, kids book review
Saturday, February 24, 2007
How to Draw Comics the Marvel Way
Rating (1-5):
Reviewed by Nick
Author: Stan Lee
Genre: How-to book
Summary:
One of the best how to draw books ever.
What I liked: This book really shows you how to draw comics the Marvel way. It shows you how to draw with solid
shadows, blended shadows, defined muscles, you name it, and you can draw it. I guarantee when you're done with this book, your comic
skills will be increased ten-fold.
Didn't like: I didn’t find anything wrong with this book. All pros’s for the pros. :)
Additional: My dad also has used this book and agrees with me completely that this is an outstanding book. Below are some pages from the book, and a drawing of mine after reading it. Click on a photo for a larger image.
 | Plenty of pages showing how to start from lines and geometric shapes, and working towards a shaped and active character. |
 | From the chapter on foreshortening, to give perspective to your active characters. |
 | Stan shows you how to draw heads from every possible angle. |
 | This is one of the drawings I made after reading the book. It is not traced! |
Recommend for: All ages interested in drawing comics, or just drawing.
Hover over the image below for more information from Amazon.com:
Labels: book, book review, comics, drawing, marvel
