Thursday, May 31, 2012

Alyas Batman en Robin


Alyas Batman en Robin ~ This film, made in the Philippines in the early 1990s, is hard to describe. On one hand it is the stuff of legend, like Andy Warhol's Batman, or the also Filipino Alyas Batman at Robin from 1963, something few people in the United States have even ever seen. On the other it's just bizarre. Though made in the Philippines it has many of the hallmarks of a Bollywood film - comedy, drama, romance, and people spontaneously breaking into song and dance.

The plot has criminals taking on the identities of their idols - the Penguin, and the Joker, among others - to rob banks. To counteract this, two men, I am unsure if they are brothers or father and son, dress up like Batman and Robin, and have their car souped up to look like the Batmobile. Hilarity, romance, as well as song and dance numbers ensue, as one would expect.

For an unauthorized film using DC Comics characters, some of it looks good, not great, but some is better than that prime time NBC "Challenge of the Superheroes." The costumes are plays on the 1966 TV series rather than the Tim Burton films of the time. Comedian Rene Requiestas as the Joker reminds me of Prince's alter-ego Gemini, and not in a good way.

All in all this is probably worth a look for the curious. If you watch it in the wrong mood, you'll be horrified, but if you watch it with the right attitude, you'll be satisfactorily entertained.

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

The All Things Fun! New Comics Vidcast for the Week of 5-30-2012


The All Things Fun! New Comics Vidcast is shot live every week at All Things Fun! - the area's best comics and gaming store, located in West Berlin, NJ.

Co-hosts Allison Eckel, and Glenn Walker discuss the new comics out this week in wicked high definition video, and also available on the YouTube. See it here! The much-missed Ed Evans will be back in a couple weeks.

Discussion featured in this special episode includes: The week in Marvel including Mutants, Avengers, and Hulks, Ravagers #1, Batman Beyond Unlimited #4, Batman Annual #1, America's Got Powers #2, Supercrooks #3, other indies, Star Trek meets Doctor Who, Powers #10, the Zenescope offerings of the week, Allison's kids comics including Superman Family Adventures #1, and the trades of the week including Batman Death By Design by Chip Kidd.



Be sure to check out the swell new All Things Fun! website, and the All Things Fun! Blogs, by Allison and Glenn, and ATF! on YouTube.

Special thanks go to Dina Evans who keeps us all in line, and on the straight and narrow, and runs the show from behind the scenes, even when she's on vacation.

And be back here every Wednesday (or Tuesdays at midnight) to watch the new broadcast, and thereafter throughout the week!

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Battleship The Movie


Battleship ~ There been a lot of bad press and even worse word of mouth on this flick, and let's be honest here, this is a movie based on a board game. And not a game that lends itself well to a plot, mind you, this is not Clue we're talking about here. All that said, and bear in mind, this is by no means a brilliant movie (it's no Doctor Zhivago) but it is pretty good flick for one made based on a board game.

The acting is pretty bad by most here, I would say below soap opera level, no offense meant to soap opera actors, but it doesn't bode well for folks like Liam Neeson and Alexander Skarsgard. The special effects of the completely indecipherable alien ships are the draw here, as it should be for a summer blockbuster. They are kinda like rejects from the Transformers movies, only not, but they are impressive. Also impressive is how they actually tie aspects of the film to the specifics of the game "Battleship," that, I thought was clever. Spoilers, if there are such a thing here, but it was really sweet that the old guys who fought in World War II and their antique battleship are the guys who save the world, especially nice in lieu of Memorial Day this past weekend.

As far as the rest of the cast goes, Rihanna steals the movie, she is a delight. Taylor Kitsch, who I have loved as both Gambit and John Carter, is almost a cipher here. He's terrible in this role, paper not even cardboard. Liam Neeson… well, if you have seen the preview, you have seen almost all of his scenes. Talk about calling it in, taking the cash and running. I did however also like John Tui and Tadanobu Asano, the latter of which is being called the Johnny Depp of Japan - they were both quite good.

The rest of the movie? It gets not only monotonous and predictable but it actually manages to make those big impressive alien ships get boring after a while. And the jumping from ship to ship to ship when they get sunk got a bit ridiculous after a while. We all knew we would beat the aliens, but it got so I wanted to yell "Get on with it already!" more than a few times.

All in all, it was an enjoyable two hours of mindless popcorn movie fluff. It wasn't bad enough to want my money back, but as I said, this wasn't a great film either. I don't think it deserves the bad word of mouth it has been getting either. Come on folks, it's not like this was Moulin Rouge! or The Dark Knight.

Friday, May 25, 2012

In-Store Signing with Writer Mark Poulton


Saturday (that's tomorrow), May the 26th, All Things Fun! is hosting Mark Poulton, the new co-scripter for DC Comics' The Savage Hawkman.

Mark begins his co-scripting duties with issue #9 out this week, collaborating with comics veteran Rob Liefield and artist Joe Bennett. You might also know Mark from his work on Avengelyne from Image Comics, and his own Koni Waves and A Cat Named Haiku.

So come on down to All Things Fun! in West Berlin New Jersey, meet Mark Poulton, pick up a copy of his new Savage Hawkman #9, and get him to sign it for you!

And if you missed the ATF! Vidcast interview with Mark Poulton, check that out here.



Thursday, May 24, 2012

Eurovision 2012 Finalists


Here are the final 26 entrants for the Grand Finals of the Eurovision Song Contest for 2012:

United Kingdom, France, Italy, Azerbaijan, Spain, Germany, Hungary, Albania, Russia, Iceland, Cyprus, Romania, Denmark, Greece, Ireland, Moldova, Ukraine, Serbia, FYR Macedonia, Malta, Turkey, Sweden, Norway, Estonia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, and Lithuania.

Clicking on each nation above will take you to the YouTube music video for their song entry. The Final will be held on Saturday, May 26, 2012 in Baku, Azerbaijan.

If you're in a participating nation, who will you be voting for? And if not, who are you rotting for? Let us know!

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

The All Things Fun! New Comics Vidcast for the Week of 5-23-2012


The All Things Fun! New Comics Vidcast is shot live every week at All Things Fun! - the area's best comics and gaming store, located in West Berlin, NJ.

Co-hosts Ed (Chew's Brother) Evans, Allison (The Astonished No Marvel Girl) Eckel, and the Savage Glenn Walker discuss the new comics out this week in two fun video segments, in wicked high definition, and available on the YouTube. See it here!

Discussion featured in this extra special Savage Hawkman extended episode includes: The Savage Hawkman #9 by Rob Liefield, Mark Poulton and Joe Bennett, The Flash #9 by Francis Manapul, Night of the Owls, villain POVs, Batman Inc. #1, Justice League Dark #9, Green Lantern New Guardians #9, Fables #117, Marvel Zombies Destroy #2, Secret Avengers #27, Astonishing X-Men #50, Chew #26, Kevin Smith's Bionic Man #9, more indies, Allison's kids comics, Marvel Universe Ultimate Spider-Man #2, Ed's trades, and our special interview with Savage Hawkman co-scripter Mark Poulton!

And don't forget Savage Hawkman co-scripter Mark Poulton will be at All Things Fun! 1:30 PM on Saturday, May the 26th, for a special comics signing! Come on down!



Be sure to check out the swell new All Things Fun! website, and the All Things Fun! Blogs, by Allison and Glenn, and ATF! on YouTube.

Special thanks go to Dina Evans who keeps us all in line, and on the straight and narrow, and runs the show from behind the scenes. And be back here every Wednesday (or Tuesdays at midnight) to watch the new broadcast, and thereafter throughout the week!

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

The Coke Freestyle

Anyone who knows me, and some folks who follow this blog, and especially my French Fry Diary closely, know that I am a Coca-Cola man. I will always take a Coke over a Pepsi, a Coke over coffee, heck, even a Coke before a water. It's just the way I prefer my refreshment, and my caffeine.

The last few years a phenomenon called the Coca-Cola Freestyle machine has come to my attention. Previously it was only available in the south, but recently a few have popped up in many local Burger Kings. I was elated, but not by the Burger King part, but this truly was a reason to go to Burger King.

The Coca-Cola Freestyle is a machine, like a thin soda machine, but the features are the alley where the soda is dispensed, and the touch screen above it. The touch screen is where the magic happens. You get to choose the brand of soft drink, it's sugar content and the flavor of it.

For instance, you can choose from Coke, Sprite, Minute Maid, Fanta, Dasani, Hi-C, Powerade, Vault, Pibb, Barq's, or Seagrams. Then you can choose if you'd like caffeine or sugar (the diet soda variety), and then you can even go farther and get your selection in a flavor of your choice like vanilla, lime, lemon, grape, orange, cherry, raspberry, peach, strawberry, lemonade, fruit punch or even cherry vanilla.

Literally, if you have the stamina, and are thirsty, and Burger King doesn't throw you out, you could be there all day. Truly Coca-Cola heaven.

Monday, May 21, 2012

The Final Six Entries in the 2012 Eurovision Song Contest


These are the five nations who are always in the Finals, plus last year's winner and this year's host, Azerbaijan.

United Kingdom: "Love Will Set You Free" by Engelbert Humperdinck



The UK always tries to make an effort, like trying to get Morrissey, or getting Andrew Lloyd Webber to write the song. This year they got decades past pop idol Humperdinck. It's just not enough, UK…

France: "Echo (You and I)" by Anggun



Speaking of trying to win, every once in a while France decides they'd like to win and actually enters something catchy and modern. This is one of those years. Another one that's growing on me.

Italy: "L'Amore È Femmina (Out Of Love)" by Nina Zilli



I think this one has a real chance of winning. Dancey, jazzy and fun.

Azerbaijan: "When the Music Dies" by Sabina Babayeva



Another power ballad, but a strong one and a real contender for the win.

Spain: "Quédate Conmigo (Stay With Me)" by Pastora Soler

You'll have to click the link above to see the Spain video, embedding forbidden by YouTube. It has no chance to win though in my opinion, but then again, just my opinion...

Germany: "Standing Still" by Roman Lob



Europe aside, I think this could be a hit here. I like it a lot, one of my favorites, and another strong contender for the win.

The Grand Final for the 2012 Eurovision Song Contest takes place on May 26th in Baku, Azerbaijan.

Sunday, May 20, 2012

The Final Six Entries from the Second Eurovision Semi-Final


Turkey: "Love Me Back" by Can Bonomo



Traditional and groovey. This one is growing on me. The video helps a lot.

Estonia: "Kuula" by Ott Lepland



Slovakia: "Don't Close Your Eyes" by Max Jason Mai



The token rocker this year hoping for a rerun of 2006 Lordi win. I like the song, very Linkin Park and Papa Roach, but the chorus is a bit too Europe for me.

Norway: "Stay" by Toolji



This is another early favorite for me. It's got everything a Eurovision song should have. This is a surefire entry for the Finals, and maybe the win.

Bosnia & Herzegovina: "Korake Ti Znam" by Maya Sar



Lithuania: "Love Is Blind" by Donny Montell



The blindfold is a bit much, and the disco transformation scared me more than a Rick-roll.

The Second Semi-Final takes place on May 24th in Baku.

Saturday, May 19, 2012

The Next Six Entries from the Second Eurovision Semi-Final


Ukraine: "Be My Guest" by Gaitana



I'm digging the 1990s power dance diva thing, but how did she get the X-Men as background dancers?

Bulgaria: "Love Unlimited" by Sofi Marinova



More disco, but a decent little dance tune. I like the music video portion, but the stage show is boring. I have to wonder what the real performance will look like.

Slovenia: "Verjamem" by Eva Boto



Another power ballad reminiscent of Serbia's entry in 2007, boring, but it could win.

Croatia: "Nebo" by Nana Badric



Like Bulgaria, great video, but what will it look like on stage?

Sweden: "Euphoria" by Loreen



Slow build, powerful voice, but turns frequently into house music. Could be a contender.

Georgia: "I'm a Joker" by Anri Jokhadze



Guilty pleasure here, it is sooo Eurovision. Where else in the world could you rhyme 'joker' with 'rocker' and do your worst Taco imitation at the same time? I love it.

The Second Semi-Final takes place on May 24th in Baku.

Friday, May 18, 2012

First Six from the Second Eurovision Semi-Finals


Serbia: "Nije Ljubav Stvar" by Željko Joksimović



F.Y.R. Macedonia: "Crno I Belo" by Kaliopi



Zzzzzzzzzzzz...

The Netherlands: "You and Me" by Joan Franka



I'm really not sure what American Indian feather headdress symbolizes in The Netherlands, but Joan Franka is certainly a frontrunner in my mind.

Malta: "This Is the Night" by Kurt Calleja



This kinda reminds me of bad 1990s disco, and I kept expecting to get Rick-rolled. It's catchy though, and very Eurovision.

Belarus: "We Are the Heroes" by Litesound



Ditto. Pretty too, just not sure about the Power Rangers costumes.

Portugal: "Vida Minha" by Filipa Sousa



The Second Semi-Final takes place on May 24th in Baku.

Thursday, May 17, 2012

Donna Summer 1948-2012

We've lost far too many folks this year already, and this morning, we lost the Queen of Disco, Donna Summer, this morning after a private battle with cancer. She was 63.

The multi-award-winning singer, also known for her stage, television and film work, came to prominence in the disco era, becoming the so-called queen of the genre. Her songs were the anthem of a generation. Songs like "Last Dance," "I Feel Love," "Hot Stuff," "Bad Girls," and "Love to Love You Baby" are the stuff of musical legend.

In my early teens at the height of her rein I remember listening to my brother's 8-track of her greatest hits "On the Radio," and still have favorites from that album. I also remember Dick Clark, another recent loss, letting her host an episode of "American Bandstand. I remember hearing about her character and subplot in Thank God It's Friday even though I wasn't allowed to see that flick in the theater. I also remember her comeback in the music video age with "She Works Hard for the Money."

Summer continued to perform until recently, despite being out of the public eye in America, she always charted in Europe over the years and toured frequently. The last time I saw her was when she performed with Prince Poppycock on "America's Got Talent" a couple years ago. She was just as fabulous as she had been in the seventies.

We have lost another legend. Donna Summer will be missed.



Wednesday, May 16, 2012

The All Things Fun! New Comics Vidcast for the Week of 5-16-2012

The All Things Fun! New Comics Vidcast is shot live every week at All Things Fun! - the area's best comics and gaming store, located in West Berlin, NJ.

Co-hosts Ed (the Caucasian Nick Fury) Evans, Allison (The Bride of Hades) Eckel, and Glenn (coldsores and solicits) Walker discuss the new comics out this week in two fun video segments, in wicked high definition, and available on the YouTube. See it here!

Discussion featured in this brand new extended episode includes: Night of the Owls, Justice League #9, James Robinson's Vandal Savage, Green Lantern Corps #9, Blue Beetle #9 and the origin of Firestorm, Captain Atom #9, Supergirl #9, Avengers titles of the week, The Quiet Man reference, Matt Fraction's The Invincible Iron Man #517, X-Factor #236, Fantastic Four #605.1, Danger Club #2, Army of Darkness #4, Zenescope fashion tips, whole lotta Voltron, Hardcore #1, Ed's indies, The Shadow #2, Allison's kids comics, Green Lantern The Animated Series #2, and Ed's trades.



Be sure to check out the rocking new All Things Fun! website, and the All Things Fun! Blogs, by Allison and Glenn, and ATF! on YouTube.

Special thanks go to Dina Evans who keeps us all in line, and on the straight and narrow, and runs the show from behind the scenes. And be back here every Wednesday (or Tuesdays at midnight) to watch the new broadcast, and thereafter throughout the week!

Saturday, May 12, 2012

Dark Shadows 2012

Dark Shadows ~ When I first saw the trailer for this new version of Dark Shadows my thoughts were, "Oh boy, here's Tim Burton raping another piece of my childhood, just like he did with Batman, Willy Wonka, Planet of the Apes, and tried to do with Superman." To an extent, I was right, but if I'm absolutely honest, having seen the film, there's also a lot of love and homage in there too, right next to the blatant disrespect and mockery.

The story for those who don't know is that of Barnabas Collins, cursed by an ex-lover, also a witch, to become a vampire in the 18th century, imprisoned, released and awoken in the 20th century. This was the basis for the last few years of the late 1960s/early 1970s ABC soap opera cult classic "Dark Shadows." Tim Burton, a supposed fan of the series, has decided to remake it as a camp comedy horror drama, emphasis on the camp and the comedy. Not that "Dark Shadows" wasn't camp, mind you, it was, it just wasn't planned to be. Like all good camp, it took itself deadly serious. That's not the case here at all unfortunately. Often, as with most of his films, what's funny to Tim Burton is rarely funny to everybody else.

All the good zingers are in the previews, so don't go in expecting much more. That said however, in between all the failed jokes are tons of in-jokes and Easter eggs for fans of the show. Tim Burton may have disrespected the TV series, but he certainly did know it backward and forward. He does streamline and he does change many details, but still the love is evident. It's when he tries to make fun of it and fails that fans and non-fans alike will cringe.

I dislike Johnny Depp's Barnabas Collins quite a bit. As he sometimes does, it seems as if he made up a character in a improv class and then built a movie around it. Depp might be better off getting together and making movies with that Borat guy rather than raping my childhood with substandard remakes of old soap operas. He does have Jonathan Frid's speech patterns down however. I have to give props to Helena Bonham Carter's Dr. Julia Hoffman for the same reason. Her voice is perfect, but her over the top dye job alcoholic drag queen version of the doctor not so much. Fans of the show will laugh their asses off at her, it's both hideous and hilarious.

Another of my favorites, Jackie Earle Haley is cast brilliantly as groundskeeper Willie Loomis (and yes, I bet that's where "The Simpsons" got the name from). He is one of the highlights of the flick, both dramatic and comedic. Don't blink or you will miss the two second cameos by surviving cast members of the soap opera - Kathryn Leigh Scott, David Selby, Lara Parker, and the recently late Jonathan Frid - as guests at the ball/happening with Alice Cooper.

Michelle Pfeiffer is pretty pedestrian for a role she wanted so badly, but she doesn't have much room to act next to the scene-eating Depp. Same for one of my faves Jonny Lee Miller and newcomer Bella Heathcote - not enough room. I would have loved to have seen more of them, but such is the way of the soap opera. Speaking of over the top scene-stealing, Eva Green from "Camelot" is just absolutely crazy town as Barnabas' nemesis Angelique. It's almost as if the actors got drunk and played make-believe as their characters at some points. Also, much like 1989's Batman, Burton is unable to come up with an ending so it feels like he starts pulling ideas of out his butt. Seriously, the last twenty minutes of this movie are insane, and not in a good way. It's almost unwatchable.

The problem is that it's not all bad, and that this really could have been a good movie, and not just that, a good movie, a respectful remake, and it didn't have to resort to low brow comedy. The credits sequence in the beginning, set to the Moody Blues' "Nights in White Satin," with Victoria Winters coming to Collinsport, is so ABC telemovie that not only would Dan Curtis (creator of "Dark Shadows" as well as more than a few movies of the week) would have been proud, but I was half-expecting to see Kim Darby, Kate Jackson, or Karen Black make an appearance.

There was a lot of stuff to love set amongst the comedic ruins of this flick. I loved both the inside and the outside of Collinwood, the town of Collinsport they built on the set, including the Blue Whale. The bit with Alice Cooper, which in the previews appears to be a one note joke, turns into brilliance by the inclusion of "The Ballad of Dwight Frye" as background for a couple scenes.

All in all, except for the last quarter of the movie, I did enjoy it. It's not "Dark Shadows," it's not the cult classic gothic soap opera of my youth, but I did laugh, I did smile, and I still have my memories. Worth seeing for the curious, the fans, and for those with no point of reference whatsoever. I just would have rather seen the movie it could have been, as opposed to the one it is.

Wednesday, May 09, 2012

The All Things Fun! New Comics Vidcast for the Week of 5-9-2012



The All Things Fun! New Comics Vidcast is shot live every week at All Things Fun! - the South Jersey/Philadelphia area's best comics and gaming store, located in West Berlin, NJ.

Co-hosts Ultimate Ed Evans, Allison (OCD Girl) Eckel, and Grumpy Glenn Walker discuss the new comics out this week in two fun video segments, in wicked high definition, and available on the YouTube. See it here!

Discussion featured in this brand new extended episode includes: Free Comic Book Day 2012 aftermath, Night of the Owls, The Culling, Demon Knights #9, Frankenstein Agent of S.H.A.D.E. #9, Suicide Squad vs. Resurrection Man, Night Force #3, Rob Liefield's Deathstroke #9, Mark Poulton instore appearance, Green Lantern #9, Fables and Fairest, the Avengers titles of the week, Allison goes OCD over AvsX, Avenging Spider-Man #7, the X-Men titles of the week, Captain America's tricky numbering, Ultimate Comics The Ultimates #10, Ultimate Comics X-Men #11, Fanboys Vs. Zombies #2 and grout dogs, The Walking Dead #97, Invincible, Ed's indies, Frankenstein Alive Alive #1 by Steve Niles and Bernie Wrightson, Takio #1 by Brian Michael Bendis and Michael Avon Oeming, Allison's kids comics, and Ed's trades and toys.



Be sure to check out the fantastic new All Things Fun! website, and the All Things Fun! Blogs, by Allison and Glenn, and ATF! on YouTube.

Special thanks go to Dina Evans who keeps us all in line, and on the straight and narrow, and runs the show from behind the scenes. And be back here every Wednesday (or Tuesdays at midnight) to watch the new broadcast, and thereafter throughout the week!

Sunday, May 06, 2012

The Avengers


Marvel's The Avengers ~ I think I need to inform folks where I'm coming from on this one. One could say I've been waiting for this movie for over forty years easily. I learned to read on comic books, thanks to my cool big sister. First there was Batman, obviously influenced by the 1960s TV show, then I started reading my brother's Flash and Justice League. I was solidly a DC Comics guy as you can see, and then I discovered the Avengers. It would be quite some time before I became a regular Marvel reader but I knew instantly this was a different kind of comic. Avengers became one of my favorite comics, even today. So much so did I love the Avengers that for almost a decade I regularly reviewed the title online. Yeah, I'm a hardcore Avenger-phile. This movie is a little kid's dream come true.

In another sense, you could say I've been waiting for this movie realistically, and hopefully, since the end credits of Iron Man. Can I express my elation the first time I saw those few seconds when Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury wanted to talk to Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark/Iron Man about the 'Avengers Initiative'? No, I can't. I am as speechless now as I was in 2008.

Who would have thought Marvel Comics/Marvel Studios could have pulled this off? Not only have they created a cinematic continuity, a movie universe as tight and intriguing as their comics universe, they also changed the way we watch movies. Does anyone (at least anyone who knows) not stay until the final credits any more. This is something that John Hughes used to do for a gag. It's something the James Bond films used to do to reveal the title of the next installment. Marvel has made it a genre-wide trick of the trade. You stay until the screen has no more light, period.

Speaking of James Bond, the other achievement Marvel has taken on is the building of a successful movie franchise - the Marvel Cinematic Universe, of which The Avengers is the seventh, or the sixth, depending on whether you count Ang Lee's Hulk or not. I think all of this would have been impossible without Iron Man, and especially Robert Downey Jr. Downey is the secret weapon, the gateway drug, if you will. Without Downey, I doubt that this film would be as mainstream as it is. It's not just comic book folks who are seeing this movie, it's everybody. Comics aren't just for nerds anymore, or at least comic book movies aren't. This weekend's box office, threatening to become the biggest opening ever, is proof of that.

Besides Downey as Iron Man, and Jackson as super spy Nick Fury, Chris Evans returns as the title role from Captain America The First Avenger, Chris Hemsworth as Thor, along with Oscar winner Jeremy Renner as Hawkeye from that same film, and Scarlet Johansson returns in her role as the Black Widow from Iron Man 2. Unfortunately, negotiations broke down with The Incredible Hulk's Ed Norton, so the role of Doctor Bruce Banner is more than adequately filled by Mark Ruffalo. As much as I like and liked Norton in the role, I like Ruffalo even more. This is a good thing.

Also returning from the previous Marvel Cinematic Universe flicks are Clark Gregg as Agent Coulson, Stellan Skarsgard as Erik Selvig from Thor, Gwenyth Paltrow as Pepper Potts and Paul Bettany as Jarvis in the Iron Man films, and of course the big bad, Thor's brother Loki, as played by Tom Hiddleston. Natalie Portman's Jane Foster from Thor is mentioned but unseen. Cobie Smoulders is the perfect Maria Hill and although uncredited and only doing one very funny and wonderful line of dialogue, Lou Ferrigno voices the completely CGI Hulk. It is a stellar cast, top notch all the way, and all of the primaries - the Avengers, Fury, Loki, and the rest shine like stars when on screen. All are skillfully performed.

If I had to find fault, if I absolutely had to find a flaw in the film (other than characters or storylines I would want to see) it would be the lack of character development. But even that's not a flaw. The four majors have had at least one movie each to explore that before we got to this point. We get sweet spotlights on the two Avengers without movies, Hawkeye and the Black Widow, displaying their talents and personalities, and Nick Fury will have his own film upcoming for us to delve more into his character. So really, on that point I can't complain. What is really great about this is all of them come to this film fully formed. Especially in the cases of Captain America and Thor, their movies were essentially origin stories, now, here in Avengers we get to see what they can really do. These are not flaws.

I will try not to give away plot points, or any of the Easter eggs found in the film, but I will give director and co-writer Joss Whedon and his co-writer Zak Penn all the props possible for creating what is, without a doubt, the best superhero movie ever made, period. Let's see Whedon have a Wonder Woman script or a "Firefly" sequel turned down in Hollywood now. The man, to borrow the line from Titanic, is the king of the world today. Everything was perfect, from the characters to the dialogue, the special effects, the humor, right down to the two (count 'em, two) after-credits scenes, one of which will be having fanboys and girls squeeing with delight. Marvel's The Avengers is awesome.

The little kid in me who was mesmerized by his first Avengers comic book more than forty years ago was spellbound in the theatre. From Project Pegasus to the Black Forest to the SHIELD Helicarrier to downtown Manhattan, the Avengers were truly Earth's Mightiest Heroes on the big screen. The first confrontations between the heroes, and the heroes and the villains, are well done and believable, not just slugfest for the fun of slugfest. When Captain America confronts Loki in Germany, I had a lump in my throat, I was like, "It's the real Captain America." The scene is that good.

The special effects are stunning. I love the way Thor's hammer always returns to him, and his effects are perfect. Cap's superhero costume, which I initially thought would look silly works wonderfully. If there's anything cooler than the SHIELD Helicarrier, it's the battle on board the SHIELD Helicarrier. Non-believers will see why Hawkeye is one of the coolest Avengers. The interaction between the characters is priceless, and in the final battle, their teamwork whether all together or in smaller teams is right out of the comics. It's beautiful.

I will probably see Marvel's The Avengers again a few more times in the theatre before it comes to Blu-Ray and DVD. Yeah, it's that good. The 3D effects are good, but let's keep in mind it still looks amazing in 2D, so you don't have to sell blood to see it. Highly recommended. A definite must see for comics and non-comics fans alike. This is the movie of 2012.

Saturday, May 05, 2012

RIP MCA


We are losing far too many folks from the music world of late. News came earlier today of the passing of Adam Yauch A.K.A. MCA of the Beastie Boys. The hip hop pioneer had been fighting cancer for several years. He was 47.

In the early 1980s Yauch formed the Beastie Boys with Adam Horovitz (Ad-Rock), Mike Diamond (Mike D) and Michael Schwartz (Mixmaster Mike) - and changed the face and style of music for decades afterward. I first encountered them in college with the novelty tune "Cooky Puss," and a year or so later when I saw the music video for "She's On It," I was hooked, a Beastie fan for life.

We've lost one of the fun, funky and forceful voices of my generation, MCA will be missed.



Friday, May 04, 2012

Free Comic Book Day 2012


From the All Things Fun! Newsletter:

So what is Free Comic Book Day? It's a national event hosted by comic stores every year on the first Saturday in May. It's a celebration of the comic medium and literacy. All Things Fun! hosts one of the largest celebrations of Free Comic Book Day in the region.

Free Comic Book Day is a great way to see what's happening in the world of comics. Comic publishers create titles specifically for the event. These books are usually introductions of new characters or new story arcs. Retailers (like All Things Fun!) then purchase these titles from the publishers and give them away FREE!

Join us Saturday, May 5, 2012 as All Things Fun! celebrates with one of the largest celebrations in the region! This event is so huge it spills out to three area libraries!

And as if a huge assortment of FREE comics wasn't enough we are hosting our famous FCBD MEGA-SALE! Everything in the store will be on sale. Including Buy 1, Get 1 Free Graphic Novels! The first 10 people in line will also get a free copy of Marvel Comics Secret Invasion (Retail: $29.99.) Don't forget doors open at 11am!

We'll have random door prize raffles all day long! One lucky customer will win a copy of the New 52 Batman Hardcover Vol. 1 Court of Owls signed by Scott Snyder!

We'll have costume characters and Artist Dane Cypel from Arcana Studios on hand. All this and a schedule full of great events.


So don't forget, tomorrow, Saturday, May 5th is Free Comic Book Day, so get to your local comic book shop, and especially if you're in the South Jersey/Philadelphia area, get to All Things Fun! and celebrate!

Thursday, May 03, 2012

Bedazzled 1967


Bedazzled ~ This Faustian tale from 1967 features the comedy duo of Dudley Moore and Peter Cook, at the time very popular on British television and film. They also wrote this film. Bedazzled was their only starring performance in a movie, although they do appear in and steal a number of other films, Those Daring Young Men in Their Jaunty Jalopies springs to mind immediately.

Cook is the real star here as The Devil tempting Moore and doing dastardly deeds throughout the film. Quite often it's difficult to pay attention to the dialogue and plot watching and laughing at the deviltry of Cook done in the background. Moore plays Stanley Moon (an alias he would use in his own life for years afterward), a mild mannered short order cook who sells his soul for seven wishes all designed to garner the affections of a waitress he adores. Each wish is given a separate skit like vignette.

The real fun however is the verbal swordplay between Cook and Moore, and the skewering humor aimed at organized religion. One wonders how they got away with it back in the day. Raquel Welch is also fun as Lust. She is barely in the film, but as you can see by the advertising, they took full advantage of her appearance, and her popularity at the time.

It should be noted that even though it shares a title and a plot with its reputed remake in 2000 starring Brendan Fraiser and Elizabeth Hurley, it is a completely different kind of movie. So different that comparison is pointless, they are both terrific in their own way.

This Bedazzled is a wonderful time capsule of its irreverent generation in the late 1960s, and great fun. Recommended.

Wednesday, May 02, 2012

The All Things Fun! New Comics Vidcast for the Week of 5-2-2012


The All Things Fun! New Comics Vidcast is shot live every week at All Things Fun! - the area's best comics and gaming store, located in West Berlin, NJ.

Co-hosts Blue Lantern Ed Evans, Honorary Avenger Allison Eckel, and the Glenn Walker of Earth 2 discuss the new comics out this week in two fun video segments, in wicked high definition, and available on the YouTube. See it here!

Discussion featured in this brand new extended episode includes: Free Comic Book Day 2012, the Batman Court of the Owls hardcover signed by Scott Snyder giveaway, the FCBD comics, Avengers and X-Men titles for the week, Invincible Iron Man #516 by Matt Fraction, Spider-Men, Earth 2 #1 by James Robinson, Action Comics #9, Night of the Owls, Red Lanterns #9, Dial H #1 by China Mieville, Teen Titans Annual #1, Smallville Season 11 #1, X-O Manowar #1 from the new Valiant Comics, Avengelyne #8 by Mark Poulton and Owen Gieni, Dynamite's The Spider #1 by Davis Liss, Voltron Year One #2 sans Voltron, guess who Archie marries this week, Allison's kids comics, and Ed's trades.



Be sure to check out the wild new All Things Fun! website, and the All Things Fun! Blogs, by Allison and Glenn, and ATF! on YouTube.

Special thanks go to Dina Evans who keeps us all in line, and on the straight and narrow, and runs the show from behind the scenes. And be back here every Wednesday (or Tuesdays at midnight) to watch the new broadcast, and thereafter throughout the week!

Tuesday, May 01, 2012

An Unmarried Woman


An Unmarried Woman ~ Continuing my coincidental journey lately into the swinging seventies, today I'm looking at Paul Mazursky's An Unmarried Woman starring Jill Clayburgh. As far as the late 1970s went with movies, it seemed that Clayburgh was the female Peter Fonda. She was in everything, or at least it seemed that way. This was the movie that really bolted her to superstardom with multiple award nominations. Let's see how it holds up in the 21st century.

Inexplicably I tend to mix this movie up with the more exciting Looking for Mr. Goodbar starring Diane Keaton, another 1970s icon. The difference is that Goodbar had a plot, and was entertaining.

An Unmarried Woman, the story of a newly single woman adapting to her new lifestyle, and it's boring. Where it is amusing (and I doubt it's supposed to be), it appears to be a parody of itself. Where it may have been daring and innovative for 1978, it's been done better by "Sex and the City," which has been very recently outdated and trumped by HBO's "Girls."

When it's boring, it's painfully so. When it appears to parody itself, most of the time it's not funny. While it may have been first in many if its conventions, without that knowledge it comes off as bad melodrama. In that same sense it's also fairly predictable.

Frequently I wanted to just sit Jill Clayburgh down and force feed her a sandwich she's so scary skinny in this. I can barely stand it when she's undressed. I don't feel turned on, I feel worried and want to comfort and ask her if she's all right. So thin, she looks sickly.

The worst part of the movie experience is the relentlessly, horridly, overly dramatic and boring music of, believe it or not, Bill Conti. There were segments where I muted the sound and just read the closed captioning.

Now it's not all bad. In its time, very important words, this was a groundbreaking film. Women were rarely empowered in film before An Unmarried Woman, and Jill Clayburgh's performance inspired a new generation of actresses. Worth seeing, if only for the historical prominence, or to compare from your first viewing in the seventies. Now I'm going to hunt down Looking for Mr. Goodbar.