Zak and George

I wasn’t anxiously anticipating the Snyder cut, but there was always a fairly good chance of my watching it.

Why not? And I do like when creators can just completely put themselves into the work. When he’s allowed, Zak Snyder is certainly good at that. Sometimes that works for me. Sometimes it doesn’t. His output is comparable to Tim Burton’s in my mind. Neither of them like to compromise, and that turns out wonderfully when they’re creating their own material or the subject matter they’re working with is already suited to their tastes. I like it less when they impose their tastes on something that’s not very compatible.

It’s why I love things like “Sucker Punch”, “Watchmen”, “Alice in Wonderland”, and “The Corpse Bride”. All of those were either created by their directors or adapted from works that clearly resonated with their psyches. It’s also why I think that Snyder and Burton were not the people to make movies about Superman and Batman respectively. They weren’t necessarily bad movies in an abstract way, but they weren’t great at focusing on those characters’ essential natures.

And while “Justice League” falls more into the ill fitting category for Snyder, he nonetheless made a gorgeous movie that flowed well, and even if I hadn’t enjoyed it more than I expected to, which wasn’t at a nadir to begin with, I would have supported the realization of that vision anyway.

In another sense, I could compare him with George Lucas. I legitimately love how that dude is such a rarity because he maintains is auteur nature even when he’s a vastly powerful figure in the Hollywood machine. Snyder has a bit of that, and both of them have been praised for things like concepts and visuals even by people who derogate their writing. I don’t think either of them is really bad at that, but part of the reason for which Lucas dwells deep in my heart where Snyder barely ever approaches is because I personally like Lucas’s inclinations more. That’s on me. But I still appreciate when those two and others of similar vision can realize their ideas to their full satisfaction.

Sandman Dream Cast

Man! When I saw the cast list for the audio adaptation of The Sandman in mid 2020, I initially thought it was for the movie, and I got really excited. The two names that stuck in my mind most were James McAvoy and Kat Dennings for Dream and Death. Those two are fun to watch in anything, and having them in two of the best roles would be a treat.

Around the new year, I was talking with a friend about the movie, and they mentioned those two names. At first I thought they were confused, but then I learned Gaiman has a habit of appreciating people from audio adaptations of his works enough to get them into filmed versions, and McAvoy and Dennings made that leap.

Could not be more excited.

And then I found out that was not the cae, and fhe actual Morpheus is someone I can’t really claim to know, but apparently be played Byron in that Mary Shelley horror movie, which is appropriate in a different way.

Bonus Question!’

I just realized “Dennings” fits with the Endless tradition of names that start with D, and now I’m wondering if McAvoy’s first name should be “Djames”.

Anudder Woman

I still remember that whole plot in “Batman Forever”, one of my favourites, where the awkward, poorly socialized Edward Nygma idolizes his rich, glamorous superior, Bruce Wayne, and obsesses over him to the point of emulation. I remember seeing it again in “Iron Man 3” with the exact same hair. Before and after. And again in “The Amazing Spider-Man 2”. Different hair and blue skin, Worse teeth.

But now that classic “Notice Me, Senpai” school of villainy is back at DC with Kristen Wiig’s Barbara Minerva in the new Wonder Woman movie, and all is right with the world. Well, many things aren’t. But this is.

It’s a good movie. That’s what I’m saying.

Agents of Yesterday

Of the DC shows, “Legends of Tomorrow” has been the clear favourite for me, in large part because it’s a weird, whimsical time travel romp that’s especially

brazen in its embrace of superhero surreality.

Which has often been what “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” didn’t do. Where “Legends” felt like comic book “Doctor Who”, “Agents” felt like an “X-Files” imitation with little connection to justify the placement of “Marvel’s” before its name. It’s not bad. It just often felt bland to me.

But this final season has turned that around for me. From what I can tell, it started by taking a page from the “Legends” book and went on to take several chapters, and I’ve honestly been having more fun with it than I did at its previous high point, which would have been the end of the first season when it was allowed to get crazy with the aftermath of “Winter Soldier”. 

So yeah. For anyone who wants a slightly more directed take on comic book time travel questing from the Marvel side of things after exhausting DC’s version, this last season of “Agents” gives solid satisfaction.

Bonus Question!

Best Marvel Agent?

I remember liking Agent Zero in the old Weapon X comics.

The Scott Pilgrim of Superhero Movies

Just saw "Birds of Prey". Of course, it was a fun one, displaying great character work, a frenetic pace, a soundtrack with intent, and epic costumery, but the best part for me was the fact that it's another movie featuring Ewan McGregor alongside someone's diverting rendition of "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend". If "Moulin Rouge!" taught us anything, it's the potency of that combination. And love. It also taught us love.

Bonus Question!

Best diamond?

Emma Frost.

Black Scorpion

So. Dwayne Johnson finally gave an official announcement about his Black Adam movie. And that’s great. The last two big DC superhero movies, “Aquaman” and “Shazam”, were my favourites of the franchise, and this looks to be a bit of a mix of both. Big, classic adventure from the former and shiny magic from the latter.

But really, the mystic desert action its premise implies makes me hopeful for it to be the Scorpion King sequel we never got. Or the one we didn’t get The Rock in. That movie definitely had sequels. And all of them disappeared into the void without even scraping Dwayne.

So. This should be epic.

Bonus Question!

Best Scorpion?

ImpulSilver

I’ve been reading Peter David’s old Young Justice series from the 90s, and one of the things that sticks out is Impulse’s resemblance to the X-Men movie version of Quicksilver, who bears little resemblance to the comics version. Although he was also written to great effect by David in the 90s. Did someone in the production room for “Days of Future Past” just finish reading David’s X-Men stuff and say “You know who we need in this movie? That speedy dude Peter David made so awesome two decades ago!”? And the writers just assumed he was talking about Impulse instead of Quicksilver and wrote the script accordingly. Which actually worked out pretty well.

Bonus Question!

Worst Quicksilver?

If Quickstrike and Silverbolt from “Beast Wars” ever became a celebrity couple.

Batadict Cumberbat

Been hearing about this Batman casting. I don’t need to tell you that Pattinson’ll be fine. Everyone basically knows. Putting aside my personal affection for the Twilight franchise, I can still say he’s a skillful actor beyond the confines of that role he harbours open distaste for. But at least it gives clear precedent for his portrayal of a moody nocturnal rich dude. With bat symbolism.

Anyway, if that doesn’t work out for whatever reason, I’ve got another suggestion inspired by hearing that one of the villains for the film is supposed to be the Penguin.

Benedict Cumberbatch! Another tall dude with dark hair who looks as though he could come from money. Maybe he doesn’t quite have the chin for it? But whatever. Really, I just want to hear him pronounce “penguin” again. That was a highlight of that Madagascar film he was in.

He needs a name though. We just had Batfleck, and people are trying to decide on one for Robert. I’ve heard “Robert Batinson” and “Robat Pattinson” at least. Maybe “Batadict Cumberbatch” or “Benedict Cumberbatman”? We can work on it.

Bonus Question!

Best penguin?

Probably Memphis. He’s an incarnation of Elvis played by Hugh Jackman. That’s a potent mix.