Bane revealed!

Today, Warner Bros. Pictures published the first official photo from Christopher Nolan’s final Batman film, “The Dark Knight Rises.” Below, you’ll see Tom Hardy as Bane, Batman’s most physically challenging enemy. As I expected, the Lucha Libre look is gone. In its place is a more practical mask, and by the looks of it, it feeds Bane’s trademark venom into his mouth or his sinus cavities. The super-cynical Fanboy crowd are already drawing comparisons to TMNT baddie shredder, but I promise you that Bane will be a more than worthy foe. I’m officially excited!

What I’m Geeking Over: Summer 2011

I look forward to the start of the summer movie season the way that some people look forward to the start of football season. I really enjoy seeing what each year offers, as well as how memorable/unique each film is. Based on how impressed I was with “Thor,” the bar is already somewhat high. Here’s what I’m excited about:

THOR (now playing): Marvel Comics’ riff on the Norse God of Thunder is brought to vibrant, energetic life through director Kenneth Branagh’s visually rich popcorn film. Like “Iron Man,” “Thor” benefits from a superb cast, led by Chris Hemsworth. The various realms are beautifully depicted, and the action is quite thrilling!

KUNG FU PANDA 2 (May 26): Dreamworks’ original really exceeded my expectations. The story of an average character who learns to use his own skill to be extraordinary is one of Dreamworks’ best, and while I feel a sequel is highly unnecessary, I’m hopeful for a fun movie.

THE HANGOVER PART II (May 26): I judged the original rather harshly on my first viewing. I recently rewatched it, and I quickly realized that I had been very quick to judge. I would love to think that this sequel will offer more than a few laughs.

X-MEN: FIRST CLASS (June 3): The X-Men movies have been a real mixed bag. The first chapter was flawed, but not bad; the second one was more story-driven and exciting. The third fell apart, and took too many liberties with story. Still, the premise behind the X-Men has always been centered around overcoming diversity, with certain obvious allegories regarding human rights issues. I’m hopeful that this prequel, with its new cast, can deliver where previous movies have not.

SUPER 8 (June 10): Not much is known about J. J. Abrams’ coming-of-age alien movie, except for what I managed to cram into this sentence. With Spielberg producing, I’m hopeful for something that captures the innocence of childhood that Spielberg used to be a wizard at.

GREEN LANTERN (June 17): DC Comics’ underrated hero boasts a rich mythology and a unique premise: a strong will can be a powerful weapon. Although fanboys have been very hard on this movie, I’m looking forward to this above all others. I’ve been a fan of GL since I first saw him on “The Superfriends” back in the day. I’m confident that this movie will be one of this summer’s best.

MR. POPPER’S PENGUINS (June 17): I’m a sucker for Jim Carrey. Are his comedies dumb? Usually. But I like a lot of them! I’ll give this one a chance, knowing full well that it could be a disaster.

CARS 2 (June 24): I didn’t love “Cars,” but the least of the Pixar movies is far above average! The addition of Michael Caine as a British secret agent adds to the appeal for this one!

TRANSFORMERS: DARK OF THE MOON (July 1): This is a tough one for me. I really, REALLY didn’t like the first sequel, but I loved the first movie. The trailers have piqued my interest, so maybe I’ll try it out…

LARRY CROWNE (July 1): This movie is the least geeky thus far, but I’m looking forward to seeing Tom Hanks return to form in the Jimmy Stewart type of roles he took for most of the 1990s! This movie looks like a crowd pleaser, and I hope it delivers!

HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS, PART 2 (July 8 ) – While I’m not the world’s biggest HP fan, I have come to really like the books, as well as the movies. The finale looks to be appropriately epic.

WINNIE THE POOH (July 8 ) – The appeal for me with this one is part nostalgia, part appreciation for old-school, hand-drawn animation. The trailer captures the vibe of Disney’s “The Many Adventures of Winnie The Pooh,” which was a cornerstone of my childhood.

CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER (July 22) – Popular sentiment among Internet folk seems to indicate that people are growing tired of superhero movies. I’m not one of those people. (Shocking, I know.) Chris Evans is more versatile than people generally give him credit for. I think his Steve Rogers will be a great realization of the character. The look seems to capture much of the spirit of the comics, both old and recent. The glimpse we have had of The Red Skull has me freaking out!

COWBOYS AND ALIENS (July 29) – Harrison Ford. Daniel Craig. Olivia Wilde. Jon Favreau directing. Aliens. That is all.

RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES (August 5) – I’m not that excited about this one…but, sometimes by this point in the summer, lowered expectations are a good thing…

CONAN THE BARBARIAN (August 19) – I could use a good medieval fantasy fix! The trailer looks decent enough, so let’s see if the actual movie holds up!

FRIGHT NIGHT (August 19) – As a kid, I loved the original. I think that the casting of Anton Yelchin and Colin Farrell is nothing short of brilliant! Birthday movie!!!

Why I geek – Movie edition

It was June 23, 1989. My friend David had arranged for his mom to take a station wagon full of kids to the movies. This alone was exciting enough to 13-year-old me, as our town had no movie theater, and we had to drive 30 minutes to the nearest one. The trips to the movie theater were few and far between, but they were highly memorable. But this one…THIS one…wow. Someone was smart enough to take my favorite superhero and adapt him to film using the darker stories of the 1980s as a guide. That someone was Tim Burton. The hero was BATMAN.

I believe there were five of us – David, myself, Aaron, Dan, and Clint – plus David’s younger sister and mom, all piled in. I was in the back, being the kid in our group who was picked on the most, and also the most passive. That was okay, because David had bought the official souvenir magazine of the movie, and it was in the back with me. I found brilliance in the use for an armor suit for Batman. I mean, how else was Michael Keaton going to be convincing in the role? I remember geeking hard over the Batmobile. Batman’s car was always cool, but never like this… and the Joker!!! It seemed like brilliant casting, right up until that Ledger guy came along…

We made a stop at the mall. It was like Batman blew up in the middle of the thing!!! T shirts, posters, toys, books…THIS was the beginning of movie merchandising as we know it today. I walked out with a t shirt for me, as well as one for my sister. I think I also grabbed the movie soundtrack…

Then it HAPPENED. I was sucked in from the first frame I saw. Gotham City was so bleak, and it had this gothic edge that was fascinating and creepy all at once. Bruce Wayne was a deeply disturbed man who in many ways never grew up. Alfred was the stalwart father figure. The Joker was a true maniac. Any memory I had of the Adam West TV show was temporarily wiped away! (The less said about Commissioner Gordon, the better!) The action was unique and exciting! The story built to a pounding climax! And Danny Elfman’s score has never completely left my ears since that day…

This started it. Every summer since then, I look forward to seeing if a movie will catch my imagination. This summer looks very promising, what with Thor being a very cool movie, and with several others looking to have potential. If you go to these movies, look for me. I’ll be the guy in the nerdy shirt.

Asgard Be Praised!

I can think of no better way to celebrate Free Comic Book Day than by seeing a comic book-turned-film immediately after acquiring my free loot! While I was excited about “Thor,” it’s not the movie I was looking forward to the most. I never got into Thor as a solo hero, although I love the early run of “The Avengers.” I’m pleased to say that Thor on film is more visceral, engaging, and entertaining than any Thor solo story I have ever read!

Much of the appeal of this film comes from its star, Chris Hemsworth. Hemsworth is best known for a brief but memorable turn in the recent “Star Trek” reboot. I honestly didn’t see him as someone who could play the God of Thunder. How wrong I was! Hemsworth knows the varying degrees of Thor, and he understands the arc that the character takes, evolving from an overgrown brat into a noble warrior. He always maintains a certain swagger and charm that helps him to remain engaging. He carries the movie, after all.

Another factor is Kenneth Branagh’s clear yet grand direction. He manages the otherworldly Asgard as though it was lifted out of a Shakespearean drama, with character relationships staying at the forefront even as the beautiful production design fills the screen.

Tom Hiddleston as Loki is also a revelation. Loki never seems like a paper-thin bad guy, which is refreshing, as to me, the villains in both Iron Man movies have been rather flat. Loki seems to be hurt, confused, and lonely. If this doesn’t make for a good villain motivation, I don’t know what does.

While “Thor” is another hero origin, it somehow feels more fresh than some. Maybe the notion of Gods battling on Earth makes for something new enough. Maybe the backstory is needed. In any case, this is an ideal summer movie for those who like action and the fantastical.