HBO Orders Westworld To Series

We live in a time of unlikely projects being green lit. It's none the less amazing when something fairly obscure or just plain geek-cult-famous get's the thumbs up for film re-imagining/re-making/prequeling....and even more mind blowing when a network orders an entire season of something based on a killer concept from my past. Today, this has happened...and that image of a cowboy with a robot face forever etched into your brain will now have NEW LIFE....on HBO.

Alfred Hitchcock Demands Phone Silence at the Movies!

We are making a difference. For once in our lifetime...we may just win at something. Yes, friends, one of the tiny tiny places in our little universe is sloooowly being altered so that generations of folks will be conditioned to turn around, upon hearing cell phone noise, beeping or that wondering blast of blue light, and say "Pardon me..but kindly turn off your fucking phone. Please and Thank You." Now Alfred Hitchcock himself joins the cause with this latest "STFU at the movies" PSA...

THOR Movie Review

It’s TIME!! Marvel Comics fans join in with geeks of all shapes, sizes and a plethora of genders to celebrate the newest Marvel movie, in continuity with the central marvel movie universe (unlike those heathen Spider-Man, Fantastic Four and X-movies). First up for the blockbuster movie season is Thor, the tale of a God-like being manipulated by his scheming brother Loki and driven by his ego to nearly start a war between the Frost Giants and his people, the Asgardians. For his selfish behavior, the Allfather Odin strips him of his power and casts him out of Asgard, sending him face first into Earth. This is an Earth where The Hulk rampages across college campuses and Iron Man throws down with giant robots on city streets, so the agency known as S.H.I.E.L.D. has had some experience with oddities like a man and his hammer spit out from the heavens and crashing into the desert. They quickly chase away the local rednecks and start researching the mysterious hammer that can not be moved by any human device. Meanwhile, Thor runs (literally..as in hit with a car) into a scientist (Natalie Portman) and her crew who cart the dethroned prince to the hospital, thinking he’s a totally buff, delusional homeless guy, and then take off for more research hijinks. The two will soon be reunited when she realizes where he has come from. Meanwhile, the Frost Giants are fuming, Thor’s warrior posse are plotting his return, Odin is brooding and somewhere in the shadows, Loki is rubbing his hands together like a mischievous trickster god version of Mr. Burns from the Simpsons. Is there a plot in here somewhere??!! Not a very involved one.

Thor must learn to put others before himself in order to be worthy of lifting his great hammer again and take his proper place in Asgard, but Loki is scheming to take the throne for himself, if only to serve his bigger agenda. That’s really the gist of it. The problem with Thor is one we see with all movies that seek to tell a tale on an epic scale with eye candy as far as the eye can see and men performing great feats of heroism and somewhere amid all the drama, the film makers forget that in order to cheer on the hero, we need a point of opposition. In comics, Loki has his day planned out 15 moves in advance and has been setting it up 2 years before it actually happens. In the course of this day, he will screw with the lives of several people who never even thought Loki knew they existed and in the end, he may be thwarted by the forces of good, but you have to admit to his evil genius. Thor (the movie) paints a more sympathetic picture. Loki is still playing nearly everyone he comes across, but his agenda is not entirely malicious. Once you realize Destroyer, the other perceived big bad of the film is a tool of Asgard, and the Frost Giants are just pawns in Loki’s game, never given the chance to storm the gates of Asgard as we thought they might in the big finale, we are left with very little to rally against.

Another problem I had with the film was the heavy nature of most moments. This is just a point of personal taste, so I won’t mind when most of you read this and go “STFU.” To be clear, Thor is fantastically crafted from start to finish. Even the 3D is beautiful when paired with visuals of rampaging monsters, the mythical Bifrost bridge and something as simple as Thor charging into battle. The tone of all this content is laid out with the airs of a Shakespearean tragedy. There is some witty banter and humorous visuals when Thor is on Earth, mostly between Chris Hemsworth and Kat Dennings, but the girl can’t carry the comedic weight of an entire movie on her own. We look for some light hearted fun in Asgard, but these folks are a morose bunch, caught up in the mass of their dialogue and scowling profusely through it all. This would have been the perfect counterpoint for The Warriors Three, who in comic form WOULD have provided more than a couple of laughs. Volstagg (in comics) is a mountain of a man who is always feeding his face, though this doesn’t make him any less a hero and formidable opponent in battle. Fandral is the swashbuckling pretty boy, ever courageous and light hearted. Hogun the Grim may scowl as if someone insulted his momma, but even he does not hide his loyalty for his friends and is even shown letting out a quip or two when the situation allows for it. What we get in place of this are three throw away characters with diminished roles in the film, resigned to stand in between the landscape and the main characters for the duration of the film. Volstagg even stands around rubbing a non-existent belly from time to time, as if his character wished he could have his girth back. I’m looking for a bit more fun in my comic book movies. All this drama made the experience feel a bit long and needlessly serious. Iron Man and Hulk balanced these things beautifully. I guess I was looking for more of the same.

All sour grapes aside, Thor is excellently acted and expertly directed. It is refreshing to feel some chemistry between two actors who are supposed to be developing feelings of love for one another! I expected nothing less from a stellar cast like this, so I’m happy to report they do not disappoint. More importantly than sparks of love in Thor is the relationship between father and son, and when Anthony Hopkins is playing your father, I can only imagine your game rises to heights you never thought possible. Vanity, anger, desperation, sorrow…all flash across the faces of the sons of Odin as they fight to express themselves to a man they clearly worship. Hell, there is more emotion in a scene between Hemsworth and his un-liftable hammer than you’ll see in most of the cinematic drivel we are fed day to day. You feel every second of it, which might be the double edged sword of this film. Too much pity, not enough triumph.

Thor is a lavish project with a very clear design in mind. The mythical, medieval trappings are discarded and replaced with a sort of space D&D feel. Elements like these are bound to split movie goers right down the middle. You’re either going to buy into it immediately…or not. I’m certain nothing I say is going to stop Thor from pulling in massive numbers this weekend, so don’t even think for a second I’m looking to cause hesitation. It’s THOR!! You, being on my geeky little site to read this, must be at least 20% geek. You were going to see this movie even before you started reading. Just go in with a clean pallet. This is not Iron Man, or The Incredible Hulk. This is something different. At the end of the day, take solace in one essential thing. This is absolutely not Catwoman.

P.S. I know this goes without saying for the pros, but for the Newbs...STAY TIL AFTER THE CREDITS!!!

THOR vs KRADDY - INTO THE LABYRINTH [OFFICIAL RE-EDIT] from KRADDY on Vimeo.

Pre-Toy Fair 2011 Coverage: Hasbro's Thor Movie Merchandise

Screw it. There's so much news pouring in now that we may as well just start the TOY FAIR MADNESS!!! The "on shelf date" is March 1st, but that isn't stopping stores from selling Thor movie action figures to eager fan boys and girls. Khalil of Kastor's Korner got in on the sales jump and while he has yet to write up his potentially epic review series, he's got a little taste posted just to wet your appetite. So what can we expect from Hasbro on March 1st? Well this news is not incredibly earth shattering, as we saw most of these things at NY Comic Con, but here's the run down anyway...

3 and 3/4 inch Basic Action Figures Wave 1: March 1st Release

- Lightning Clash Thor : Hammer lights up!
- Battle Hammer Thor : Sword becomes..hammer? Ahh..two hammers are better than one! - Thor is known across the cosmos as the mightiest warrior in all the Nine Realms. He has defended the divine kingdom of Asgard for a millennium from the darkest forces of the Marvel Universe. With his legendary hammer, Mjolnir, in his hand, he is an unstoppable force who commands both the lightning and the storms.
- Sword Spike Thor : Sword pops open to reveal..another sword? - Thor is the master of nearly every weapon in Asgard's arsenal. The dwarves created Thor's Power Sword (HE-MAN MUCH?!) to allow him to channel his otherworldly abilities and defeat any for that dares to cross his path. The unusual blade hums with divine might as Thor charges the internal spike with the power of his lightning.
- Secret Strike Loki : Blades combine to form a giant sword! - Thought Loki is no coward, he prefers to test his wits against his enemies, rather than the strength of his arms. Coercion and mischief are his tools for victory. Other gods sneer at his avoidance of combat; an attitude they will learn to regret when they finally get a taste of his triple-bladed sword.
- Shield Bash Marvel's Odin : Pop out shield and sword spikes! - Odin is a fierce and powerful king, ruling Asgard with wisdom and defending its borders with legendary force. Behind every word he speaks lies the rumble of cosmic thunder, and in the hand that wields his sword lays the near boundless strength of the mighty Allfather. To challenge him is to immediately know defeat, for all of Asgard will rise to fight alongside him.
- Invasion Frost Giant : With ice weapons and helmet..which is funny as no one else comes with theirs. - Since the beginning of time, the Frost Giants have struggled to break through the walls of Asgard. Although they have always been defeated by its king, Odin, they have never been destroyed. They now wait and plot their return when they will be strong enough to rise up again and finally destroy the golden realm and its king.

Khalil says the paint jobs are great, details solid and each comes with iconic weapons that are practical for the character as well as happy meal-esque action feature weapons for the kiddies. It may be of interest to know that under the Thor title it says The Mighty Avenger. This is Hasbro and Marvel (pardon the pun) HAMMERING the point home. By the time the Avengers movie drops, kids will know who they are, come hell or high water! There's even a little Avengers Assemble symbol on the package, encouraging you to have Thor and Iron Man join forces! Yay Marvel Team Up!

Wave 2 is also slated for release in March but no details have been released yet. Wave 3 and 4 follow in April, seemingly with 6 figure lineups as well.

Hero Action Figures wave 1 and 2 are deluxe packs with a 3 3/4 inch figure and deluxe armor accessories. These will hit in April as well.

Now anyone can summon the power of Asgard with Thor's lightning hammer! This role play item features lights, thunder sounds and lightning projectiles. Due out March with the initial push. A Thor Basic Helmet is coming as well. Basic implies that a waaaay cooler helmet might be dropping closer to the movie's release date?? Maybe something where the voices of the GODS themselves command you to smite your evil little sister??!! One can only hope.

For further images from the upcoming film and video of Natalie Portman speaking on the down side of life in 3D, CLICK HERE!

THOR Trailer Goes LIVE!

I teased you within an inch of your geeky lives with details on the new 3D Thor trailer premiering this weekend and now, paramount has seen fit to put you out of your misery. The trailer is ALIVE!! ..and full of Frost Giants...


Paramount Pictures and Marvel Entertainment present the epic adventure, “Thor,” which spans the Marvel Universe from present day Earth to the realm of Asgard. At the center of the story is the mighty Thor (Chris Hemsworth), a powerful but arrogant warrior whose reckless actions reignite an ancient war. Thor is cast down to Earth by his father Odin (Anthony Hopkins) and is forced to live among humans. A beautiful, young scientist, Jane Foster (Natalie Portman), has a profound effect on Thor, as she ultimately becomes his first love. It’s while here on Earth that Thor learns what it takes to be a true hero when the most dangerous villain of his world sends the darkest forces of Asgard to invade Earth.








































NOTE: As you can see in this last pic, those Frost Giants aren't so giant, unfortunately.

Thor 3D Trailer Hits This Weekend

It seems logical that the new Thor 3D trailer will be tacked to the front of Narnia, especially since that film is in 3D as well, so consider this your heads up. The trailer has much of the footage from that leaked reel we saw floating around after San Diego Comic Con with SHIELD Agent Coulsen questioning the man who took apart his men as if they were second rate security guards with images of him doing the deed flashing about. "Where were you trained?" We flash to Asgard where Thor is getting a tongue lashing from his father Odin who calls him a boy and remarks that he has brought war to their peaceful land. Flash to a pack of bad ass looking Frost Giants on the march. Flash back and Loki attempts to lodge a protest to Thor's punishment but Dad won't hear it. The sentence is passed and we flash to Natalie Portman AKA Jane Foster showing concern and then to Thor, flat on his back, who says something like "Nooo...I'm on Earth, aren't I" with disdain in his voice. Idris Elba as Heimdall gets a fair amount of flash time as well, though it's nothing but him making faces and such. We also see a couple of Asgardian ladies, one of which being Jaimie Alexander as Sif. Some quick Frost Giant battle rounds out the excitement, some explosions go off and we see Destroyer is causing chaos in the middle of it all. So that's about it! You'll mainly want to see this to ooo and ahhh at the footage in 3D and of course...FROST GIANT RAMPAGE!! Hit the movies for this and the new Transformers: Dark Side of the Moon..umm..I mean Dark of the Moon..teaser..also in 3D.. and then feel free to vacate unless you are a glutton for the same old Narnia punishment. Maybe they'll let you watch the trailers for a fiver?

UPDATE: Make that 2.50 -