Batman 3 Casting Rumors

Christopher Nolan looks to be taking Batman 3 in a, well, slightly different direction.

So this video really isn't all that funny. The concept itself is pretty funny. Batman is a dick and horndogs his way into Robin's date with some lady (actually Callie Thorne from Rescue Me), the lady calls Batman and Robin out for beating up women and fat dudes in tuxedos before her real boyfriend shows up to emasculate the dynamic duo. What's more of note here is that Batman and Robin are played by Sam Rockwell and Justin Long, respectively.

The video is a short film by James Duffy from 2007. Who knows why this is popping up now, but who cares. What IS exciting about this whole thing is that there is going to be another short called Robin's Speed Date, where Rockwell and Long will reprise their roles, and, wait for it, John Hodgman will be playing the Penguin.

You'll know Hodgman as PC from the "Hi, I'm a Mac" campaign that also starred Justin Long, but for me, I'll know Hodgman because I dream about him before I go to bed every night. I've never been one for role models or hero worship, but if I had the resources to fashion a marble bust of him for my living room, I would make three. So, this is possibly the best news I've ever had in my life. He'll be hilarious even if the short film blows, which it won't because Hodgman as the Penguin will bring about utopia.

Also, props to Justin Long for exposing his bare white legs in that uber-retro Robin costume. The reveal of his legs and the bottom half of that costume when he greets his ladyfriend for the first time is probably the best joke in the clip.

via /Film

Fashion and Common Sense Vs. Superheroes

I know these videos can be seen about anywhere on the internet but I like them too! so I'm posting them.

I love how Tim Gunn takes this completely seriously and never seems to be patronizing Alan Kistler. He seems like a genuinely nice and funny guy. I DON'T CARE IF HE WAS ON PROJECT RUNWAY!

The first one is here.

via Topless Robot.

Spooooon!

WIGATI: Eastbound and Down

This week on When I Get Around To It, Danny McBride's Eastbound and Down. Excited? I bet not.
So I was going to write about how, despite this show's hype, I've found Eastbound rather underwhelming. You see, I read an article on /Film about how the second season was moving to Mexico. The article talks very positively about the show, and as I scrolled down the comments, many people spoke of the show as if it were the second coming of whatever Christ's equivalent on HBO would be. Then, hitting up IMDB to see all-who's-in I see a nine star rating. Mental process: I love edgy HBO comedies; hey, its only sex episodes, just like a BBC show; I love edgy short run BBC shows (they get in and get out like any good man comedy); oh, just watch it you coward. But tonight as I check out the Meta-Critic score for the show, I see it's got a 62%. So my voice, really, is unnecessary. That review, after the jump.

South Park Creators, not the Assholes in this Story

I keep trying to come up with something insightful to say about the whole South Park versus RevolutionMuslim.com thing, but I'm really left with the impressions that I think everyone has.

It sucks that Comedy Central censored the show the way they did, but I don't necessarily blame them for wanting to avoid the potential problems that would arise by depicting the prophet Mohammed. They want to protect their company and their employees from potential violence. I certainly understand that.

And whomever runs this site and were behind the posted threat, and don't for a fucking minute pretend like it was anything but a death threat, these people are monsters, awful people that don't deserve even the slight amount of civility that they are being shown throughout this whole ordeal. I'm glad your site got hacked. Seriously.

Also, I have trouble coming up with anything to say because, again!, The Daily Show has done such a sincere and moving job of addressing the issue, that my voice seems like just a pointless echo.

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
South Park Death Threats
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Tea Party

Canadian link.

How To Train Your Audience

This movie, kicked Kick Ass's ass this week. I don't know if Kick Ass is any good, nor do I care. I'll see it, be disappointed or not, and then move on with my life--because that's the sort of movie it seems like. But How To Train Your Dragon, three weeks in, matched Kick Ass at the theatre.

I saw it a week ago, matinee, with only hobos like me on a Wednesday afternoon. It's a great movie, deserving of the love its getting. No, seriously, this movie has... fuck... heart.

The movie stars Jay Baruchel, of Undeclared fame, but also Craig Ferguson, Jonah Hill, and Christopher Mintz-Plasse. In terms of comedy, fairly solid cast. Baruchel, sort of untested in big films, does a voice, not that extreme, but not his own, and after the first 5 minutes you'll forget the voice-acting completely. Voice cast, excellent job here.

The real problem with the film is the script. It's not bad, its just good by numbers. It's a story about realizing difference, and the community (as focalised through the father) coming to respect what "the other" has to offer. The family dynamics here are played, done and done, and the emotional arc of the film has a clear trajectory from the start. But it's a kid film, and the last 10 minutes surprised me enough in terms of message that it warmed a place in my heart that normally stays cold. In the end, the film is radical and emotional enough that I give it more credit than it may be worth. Messages worth sending, really worth sending for kids, get a free pass for me.

But the most important part of this movie is the dragon. No it's the 3D!

Wait, I can't have in-fighting in one review. Let's set this out. The 3D is fantastic. Makes the flight more sensational than any flight I've seen in film. These scenes are emotionally evocative due in part (great part) because of the 3D's power. The flight scenes in the film are always very emotional moments. They have their metaphorical purpose, but the visuals add a vitality to them that I think really adds to their impact. These flight scenes are emotionally charged, and the 3D, as it adds to the experience, adds to the emotional involvement.

But, the DRAGON! Yes, the dragon is a cat. And that's enough for a lot of people. Slagathor, and people around me continually mentioned throughout the film, Oh, he's soooo cute!. And he is. Toothless is adorable, because he's a big kitty. His bum moves like a cat, he plays like a cat, and he's distrustful of humans like a cat. It helps that I just had a cat die that really was the feline epitome of this sort of representation. Its sort of heartbreaking to see a filmic/draconic version of his cuteness, but that's neither here nor there. This dragon is cute, and that's one of the huge selling points of the flick. THE DRAGON IS FUCKING ADORABLE! Simple as that.

So if you want your CGI cartoon to be a success, put in a cuddle character. It's why Monsters Inc. was one of my favourite Pixar flicks for so long.

Boo!

The Gospel According to Stewart

Now, I don't want to give the impression that I would give Jon Stewart a blow job in a dark alley if I could pay him to be there, but christ do I love the Daily Show. Remember when I thought they'd go to war against Glenn Beck? Well, not having cable does leave me out of the loop in terms of how Fox News covers Stewart's attacks. Really, I only get to see their retorts on The Daily Show itself. Does that skew my perspective? Sure. But I've seen enough of both Fox News programming and The Daily Show to know whom I'm going to put more stock in.

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Bernie Goldberg Fires Back
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Tea Party

Canadian link here. Have I mentioned before how much I hate region blocking? But anyways.

My favourite part of that clip is when Bernie Goldberg calls TDS's audience unsophisticated and Bill O'Reilly laughs. Of course you know, O'Reilly has done research and knows that TDS's audience is predominantly stoned slackers so he's right right to laugh at us, we don't know our heads from our rumpholes. Thus, it's easy for Goldberg, O'Reilly, and anyone on Fox News to right off Stewart's derision. Really, his words don't escape the pot clouds of dorm rooms or mom and dad's basement that they enter anyhow.

But then why do so many Fox commentators feel such a need to strike back at Stewart when he pulls off his stunts? I know he makes salacious and sensational slams against them, but if his voice matters so little, why do you feel the need to volley back? Is it because he hurts your feelings? Is this a matter of pride? Or, maybe, you just need to fill some time on your forever long shows? Beck can only cry for so long before an audience will think they're watching a soap.

I think the real issue here is that Fox News uses Stewart's attacks as just another example of the, GASP!, liberal enemy/media. A huge reason for Fox's success is its ability to simplify every social or political issue in America down to simple black and white. Things are either American wholesomeness, or they are unamerican blank-ism. And Stewart can easily be constructed as the buffoonish liberal media element. Even more so because he's so wonderfully terrible at reporting the news. Indeed, he is neither fair nor balanced. This may be of course due to the fact that TDS is a comedy program that has an obvious political and social agenda. But fuck, that sort of complexity doesn't play on Fox. On Fox, everything is either Black, or American.

So maybe Stewart only plays into their hands when he does this sort of thing, provide Fox commentators easy material with which to juvenilize the liberal media. It is easy to undercut Stewart's argumental ethos when you show outrageous clips of him doing comedic stunts. This guy doesn't know shit, he's a jester. But by the midpoint of the above clip, Stewart shifts into a southern preach, and a full blown call and response by the end, culminating with him and choir singing "go fuck yourself." Now Fox could try to use this clip to show TDS's complete disregard for anything holy, of its out and out buffoonishness, but maybe that's the point. Can Fox News self-righteously show the clip of Stewart dancing in front of a choir singing "go fuck yourself" and have its audience still see him as a threat? He's obviously just being a ham.

If as a stoned slacker I can see this, surely Fox will respect its sophisticated audience enough to know they will too.

The Critic (Lovitz, you've let yourself go)

Seriously this shit is fucked up.


Hope you didn't plan to sleep tonight. Or ever.

Well, it's been a week of writing "academic things" and now it comes time to write about things that are important. Like Mr Plinkett.

I watched the AotC review. I had to watch the first part the day after I watched the rest because apparently some people at the cartoon network are ironically hypocritical. The review is pretty funny, and has a good number of smart things to say about AotC. Again, though, the scary violence against women, not so much the funny. That's it in summation. If you want a long version, jump.

RedLetterMedia Reviews AotC

I told you it was Star Wars day.

So one of my most favourite of things is the RedLetterMedia reviews on Star Wars and Star Trek movies. The Star Trek reviews are really funny, and quite intelligent regarding the difference between the TNG movies and the series. Did I mention they are funny? They might not be as amusing to non-Trekkies, but this is the internet, are there even non-Trekkies on here?

In regards to the Star Wars, up until now the dude has only reviewed The Phantom Menace. This series was a) epic (70min) b) hilarious (what's wrong with your face!?), and c) really critically insightful. I don't mean to disparage the guy, but who knew this sort of review could exist on the internet, and on YouTube no less. The review is a prime example of how comedy can be used as a rhetorical device to drive points home. His ideas regarding the lack of a protagonist and suggestion to create one in Obi Wan (as opposed to multiple non-protagonists) would have genuinely made the film more concise and interesting to watch.

As it is, RedLetterMedia has released his review of Attack of the Clones, and its 90 frickin-minutes!. I'm looking forward to watching it and I may post a review if I feel up to it. Critique a critique!? Never you say, but we're revolutionaries here at NtC. I promise you.

Caveat time: the video's are done with a persona, which at one time is hilarious and a fault. The persona has developed over the course of the videos and has become increasingly distracting. Most of the time he is funny, but other times the aspects of him murdering prostitutes and his wife interrupt the quality review for some obvious and painfully unfunny interludes. I hope that these asides are less frequent in the new review, rather than more as the trend has been thus far.

UPDATE: It looks like Part 1 has been taken down because of some copyright problems with cartoon network. Really Cartoon Network? The channel that uses old cartoons to make stoner comedies? Remember that thing I just said about finding levity in Star Wars George?

Star Wars S(h)itcom

Seriously!?

Apparently they're making a Star Wars sitcom. From the Variety article:

Daytime Emmy and Gemini Award-winner Jennifer Hill ("The Backyardians") will produce with Todd Grimes ("Back at the Barnyard") directing. Brendan Hay ("The Daily Show") will be among the writers and Seth Green and Matthew Senreich, creators and executive producers of "Robot Chicken," will have "creative involvement.

Man, this is such a dumb idea, I don't care who's involved. I read a bunch of the comments after the article on /Film (where I initially learned about this development) and not enough people are waving their hands wildly in the air and screaming for this to not happen. Let's examine why this is a bad idea shall we?

Aggregation Trepidation

So I've only been, sort of, aggregating recently. Well, that's because it's April and I have school to do and all that stuff. As it is I'm still trying to post something every day or so, but that doesn't always mean the most original of content. Also, I've been seeing lots of things that are worth posting. Hopefully as the month progresses I'll have an opportunity to write some reviews and not just link you to things you could find on your own.

That said, here's a funny story about a dude who fought the law, and won. Even if it was the parking enforcement part of the law.

Also, tomorrow's Star Wars day. That's not necessarily a bad thing.

Bacon vs. Worms(z)

Okay, so remember Tremors? Starring Kevin Bacon? And Fred Ward? Reba McEntire? Hmm... Oh! the movie was about them trying to not get eaten by a handful of ugly subterranean worm dinosaurs.
Yeah that's the one. As a child I watched this movie more times than I can count, including the sequel. But then they kept making movies (one with things called ass-blasters... seriously ass-blasters?) and a TV show and so the franchise became, well, fucking ridiculous.

But anyways, the original is still lots of fun and now you can play its protagonist, Mr. Bacon, and save the town from the evil (and fast as sin) graboids in the new flash game Tremerz.

I managed pretty well on my first attempt. I saved everyone but Reba McEntire (no big loss) and the girl on the pogo. Strangely only men made it out of the tremerz attack alive. I SWEAR THIS WAS A COINCIDENCE! Strangely Rhonda isn't in this, which I assume is due to the fact she does not have a picture on her IMDB actor profile.

Anyways, enjoy.

via Kotaku.

Can you fly mothafucka!?

Follow Up Crisis: Weird Al Knows his Grammar

What the fuck Weird Al!?

I can't just keep posting things about you and the muppets, you know!

Jesus.

Muppet Revelations

Alright so I blogged about the muppets yesterday and then bam! /Film reports on a whole set of new muppets stuff (well not super new, but new enough that it's news to me).

In their article I learned about the following three projects:

1) Stuffed and Unstrung - A live, adult only, comedy show with Henson puppets (they don't use the word muppet for image/ownership reasons I believe)
2) Muppet Man - A fictionalized biopic on Jim Henson
3) Happy Time Murders - a crime thriller-comedy with puppet americans, so like Roger Rabbit but with puppets I'm guess (though Puppets Who Kill and Greg the Bunny may have beat them to the punch on puppets in the real world comedies)

Wow. It's pretty exciting too to see the Henson Company working on more adult oriented projects. Really, that's a large part of their fan base now that we all grew up.

I've got a promo video for Stuffed and Unstrung after the jump.

The Easter Bunny Sings "Stand By Me"

Christ I love the muppets.

I hope he eats Wil Wheaton next...

This is actually one of my least favourite of the recent viral muppet YouTubes, but that's not saying a lot. If you haven't been seeing them, check their YouTube channel. Make sure you watch Bohemian Rhapsody and Habanera.

via /Film

P.S. Did you know Jason Segel (Freaks and Geeks and some other more popular movies and shows) is writing and starring in the next Muppet movie? I just hope he keeps his pants on.