X3 and Some Big Blade Runner news!
In 1987 I drove a Pontiac Bonneville and worked at a small movie theatre in Norwalk CT. After movies started and I had time I walked down the road to a comic store were I would buy one of my favorite comic books X-Men. To this day I still have my entire collection starting with "The Fall of The Mutants." By that time it was called X-Factor.
Since I was coming into the series in the mid 80's I found that Marvel was releasing the original X-Men stores as a reprint called "Classic X-Men." My monthly purchase consisted of Classic X-Men, X-Factor and The New Mutants. I read them all and was drawn into the universe very easily.
The stories about these mutants with super powers were simple and fantastic and filled with adventure. I loved them from there team issues of how hard it was to work together to the teen angst of The New Mutants. The main themes of trust and how they were all outcasts really stuck a cord with this once loner teen who was trying to find his feet.
Later the Jean Grey/Phoenix Force story was great because of what it did to the group. A new character emerging out of a trusted friend shook everyone up in the series. This story line changed the characters because they were no longer dealing with an outside force but one inside there group. Jean was no longer the sweet Marvel Girl but a dangerous force that had to be dealt with. The X-Men would never be the same after.
Well, the movie X3 or X-Men: The Last Stand was released and I finally went to see it and I got to tell you it was, well, kind of, eh. The movie was, Eh. They just traveled to far off the path of the storyline that I knew to make a movie. Now, the argument that I know the comic and that this is a movie and its different doesn't hold water for me. The comic in structure is a soap opera. Most of the drama is extended and repeated at the beginning of every issue so people who pick up the comic can jump right in. Therefore there is not a lot of ground to cover when it comes to story.
Story is the problem or to much of it. The broad stokes are there, the reasons things happen are already spelled out in the comic for the writer of the screenplay. These characters are pained and live with pain. This movie is filled with crying heroes who almost NEVER cry. They spend there days getting the crap beat out of them. They watch people die and suffer all the time. Eh.
This movie is obviously a victim of what I like to call "studio touching." For those of you keeping score at home, this is a bad touch. (Reality show pitch: Follow a group of studio executives around and see how they conduct business. No one would do it cause studio executives don't want you to see the man behind the curtain. Do one about advertising executives as well.) The story is convoluted and they travel to far and tried to cover to much in a short amount of time. Brett Ratner is not to blame as a matter of fact, he did what he was told, Make a movie. However, if they want to keep this series alive they need new blood and new artistic control. Get someone in there who will rebreak the series. We need someone like Chris Nolan who can get back to the characters and get story from character. If you haven't seen the movie yet make sure you stay for end credits. There is a tease after them.
I knew Harry Knowles wasn't going to like this movie back when Brett was chosen to direct it. Harry is kinda soft. I read the site for Moriarty's opinion's more then anyone else's really. Harry seems really slanted to whoever treats him better, gives him stuff or agrees with him. But I do think he's a good writer. I think his disappointment with the film is well told check it out, won't you?
Blade Runner news!
Ok, some good news! According to those wonderful people over at The Digital Bits BLADE RUNNER is getting its due. This is there story so I will let them tell it. If this comes to light I have to tell you it is a good day to be a movie fan! Check out the whole story here. This is Daily Variety's story here.
Since I was coming into the series in the mid 80's I found that Marvel was releasing the original X-Men stores as a reprint called "Classic X-Men." My monthly purchase consisted of Classic X-Men, X-Factor and The New Mutants. I read them all and was drawn into the universe very easily.
The stories about these mutants with super powers were simple and fantastic and filled with adventure. I loved them from there team issues of how hard it was to work together to the teen angst of The New Mutants. The main themes of trust and how they were all outcasts really stuck a cord with this once loner teen who was trying to find his feet.
Later the Jean Grey/Phoenix Force story was great because of what it did to the group. A new character emerging out of a trusted friend shook everyone up in the series. This story line changed the characters because they were no longer dealing with an outside force but one inside there group. Jean was no longer the sweet Marvel Girl but a dangerous force that had to be dealt with. The X-Men would never be the same after.
Well, the movie X3 or X-Men: The Last Stand was released and I finally went to see it and I got to tell you it was, well, kind of, eh. The movie was, Eh. They just traveled to far off the path of the storyline that I knew to make a movie. Now, the argument that I know the comic and that this is a movie and its different doesn't hold water for me. The comic in structure is a soap opera. Most of the drama is extended and repeated at the beginning of every issue so people who pick up the comic can jump right in. Therefore there is not a lot of ground to cover when it comes to story.
Story is the problem or to much of it. The broad stokes are there, the reasons things happen are already spelled out in the comic for the writer of the screenplay. These characters are pained and live with pain. This movie is filled with crying heroes who almost NEVER cry. They spend there days getting the crap beat out of them. They watch people die and suffer all the time. Eh.
This movie is obviously a victim of what I like to call "studio touching." For those of you keeping score at home, this is a bad touch. (Reality show pitch: Follow a group of studio executives around and see how they conduct business. No one would do it cause studio executives don't want you to see the man behind the curtain. Do one about advertising executives as well.) The story is convoluted and they travel to far and tried to cover to much in a short amount of time. Brett Ratner is not to blame as a matter of fact, he did what he was told, Make a movie. However, if they want to keep this series alive they need new blood and new artistic control. Get someone in there who will rebreak the series. We need someone like Chris Nolan who can get back to the characters and get story from character. If you haven't seen the movie yet make sure you stay for end credits. There is a tease after them.
I knew Harry Knowles wasn't going to like this movie back when Brett was chosen to direct it. Harry is kinda soft. I read the site for Moriarty's opinion's more then anyone else's really. Harry seems really slanted to whoever treats him better, gives him stuff or agrees with him. But I do think he's a good writer. I think his disappointment with the film is well told check it out, won't you?
Blade Runner news!
Ok, some good news! According to those wonderful people over at The Digital Bits BLADE RUNNER is getting its due. This is there story so I will let them tell it. If this comes to light I have to tell you it is a good day to be a movie fan! Check out the whole story here. This is Daily Variety's story here.
posted by Chic Geek at 7:05 AM
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