Several weeks back Brenden and I gave our knee-jerk reactions to the “Batman: Arkham Origins” announcement in our web show Best Geek VLOG Ever. We were somewhat middle of the road with our enthusiasm as Rocksteady is not developing the game and as of that episode Kevin Conroy had not been tapped to reprise his roll as Bats. However, on the heels of this really nice trailer is being released, we have news that Conroy IS on board the project but we don’t know specifics.  I think it seems foolish to assume he’s playing anyone besides Batman but the fact that he remains mum on the project seems odd. He is, after all, the best Batman of all time. However, even if for some insane reason he’s not voicing Batman himself, it is nice to see a familiar name on the project.

Besides that fun bit of news, this new trailer does a bit of good in my opinion.  I think any gamer will tell you that it’s all about what the game play looks like. Plus, I think most folks would agree that with a franchise like these Batman games, the game play is 99% the reason we play. The mechanics are key and because Rocksteady is off this project I feel the game play trailer, when we finally see one, will be the tipping point. However, if you compare this trailer with the Arkham City trailer I think you’ll see that the tone has essentially stayed the same. This looks really damn good and features some new enemies from Bat’s rouge gallery that we haven’t seen in the spotlight yet. The first thing I said after watching this trailer is all the studio needs to hear from us…”I’d play that game!”  Now just show us that the mechanics have stayed the same and I’m on board.  Check out the full-length “Batman: Arkham Origins” trailer below and let us know what you think.

As a product of the 80’s I grew up watching “Star Trek: The Next Generation.” I wouldn’t call myself a trekkie or trekker, whatever it is they want to be called, but I knew they existed and when the television show was on, I watched it. When the Next Gen cast made their foray into feature films I was there with my pops with bells on each and every time. In fact, one of the birthdays I remember celebrating the most was our trip to see Insurrection when I turned 13th. However, it wasn’t really until word began to spread that J.J. Abrams would be re-imagining the franchise with the original cast of characters that I began to take notice of Star Trek again. I set out to do a bit of homework and watch “Star Trek: The Motion Picture” as prep. That was a minor set back as that thing is not very good. However, I immediately recognized why people are so drawn to these characters. Kirk and Spock are remarkable on screen together and I think J.J. really captured that in his version from 2009 but seeing the original gave me no true desire to continue watching them, sadly. Well, we are just a few days away from the highly anticipated sequel “Star Trek Into Darkness” and I figured it’s the perfect time for another “Five Days Of…” column. Over the next five days I’ll be watching and reviewing the remaining five films featuring the original cast, starting with “Wrath of Kahn.” Here are my reactions to those films.

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Kahn

This is universally considered to be the strongest film featuring the original cast. I would say it is the strongest Star Trek film featuring any cast and I am so glad I am just discovering it for the first time. Generally I’d be upset that it took me this long to see a really amazing film like this. Considering ‘Wrath’ is over 30 years old now, it’s a marvel to experience it this late and see how well it really holds up. Not being educated in this world I am not sure if Kahn was a character from the show or not but I have to say, as a villain; Kahn kicks a ton of ass. His side of the story makes Kirk out to be a huge asshole and you almost empathize with him and his mission. Ricardo Motalban plays it cool and collected. Several times during the film I thought to myself, if this film were made today, some A-List actor would have a field day playing him unhinged and crazy in an attempt to show the world how nuts he can be. I think that would have done the character, and the film a lot of disservice. Motalban is reserved and you can see the tension bubbling beneath the surface the entire time. This film is also really complex and each of the main characters are facing a lot of side challenges throughout the film that make it’s conclusion all that more rewarding and tragic. The controversy surrounding the Genesis Device, Kirks family and Spock’s unyielding resolve and logic are all handled very well as plot devices. Having now seen this and watching the trailers for ‘Into Darkness’ it’s obvious why so many people jumped to the conclusion that Benedict Cumberbatch’s character would be Khan. There are actual shots that are identical in both and I am now even more eager to see how that actually plays out. I doubt this new sequel will be as good as it’s predecessor, but “Wrath” really made me want to continue watching more of these films. It’s a good thing as I have four more left.

Star Trek III: The Search for Spock

Call me crazy but I really liked this one. It felt like a true Star Trek film. I’ve always felt that Star Trek was sort of a space version of Indiana Jones. It wasn’t about waging war or seeking revenge, it was about discovery and adventure. This one seems to get it, at least that notion, right. Keep in mind, this is all very knew to me so I don’t want to see hate mail in my inbox about how off base I am. Sure there are some action battles along the way and the Enterprise crew has to destroy some Klingons in the process, but they really seem to be on an adventure this time around. I could be wrong but it feels like the newer films place the crew of the Enterprise in more militaristic situations. I mean “Into Darkness” feels like they are waging a war against terror and something seems off about that. Search for Spock really nails home the relationship between Kirk and Spock and the lengths at which this crew will go to for one another. We also see the stark image of the Enterprise, one of my favorite space ships in pop culture, being destroyed. While that moment is a bummer to watch it highlights the level of intelligence Kirk is operating on. I don’t think I have been giving this guy enough credit. He’s sharp. He’s also made a lot of sacrifices these past two films and if it weren’t for Spocks return, this guy would be handing in his phaser for sure. No one can take losing a best friend, a son and his space ship in that short amount of time and not be down for the count. I am really curious how they rebound from the events in this film and am eager to ‘boldly go.’

Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home

At some point I know I’m in for the “bad one” in the series, but not quite yet. The Voyage Home is actually the movie I would recommend to new fans coming into the franchise. It’s easy to digest and is so much fun you’ll overlook some of the flaws. I was a little nervous at the time travel element at the beginning. I mean, when morphing heads start floating in space, I almost let Houston know we were going to have a problem. However, the film totally shifts gears when they arrive in past San Francisco to locate the sound that could help them save their planet of the future. I really loved the environmental message in this one too. Also, it helps that I grew up visiting the Monterey Bay Aquarium, as my family lived in Moneterey, so it felt familiar in that respect as well. I would say that I spoke a bit too soon stating that Search for Spock was the adventurous and fun film. Nope, this one wins that prize by a landslide and I think most people will like this one too. Whales rule! I also really found my fondness for characters shifting a bit. Bones became my new favorite character and really adds a lot to the solid trio that is Spock, Bones & Kirk. You have this notion going into these films that it’s all Spock & Kirk but Bones really becomes a big player starting at the end of the 2nd film. Plus his wardrobe in this one is totally far out dude. I also admire that these are all true continuations of the previous films. They a pick up right where the previous left off and it’s because of the actions of the previous films that they are on the lam and in their current predicament. As much as I’ve enjoyed these, and love diving into the next one I’ve heard rumblings that film five is where things hit the skids. Even if that is the case I can’t imagine any of the forthcoming films being as fun as this one is to watch.
LLAP peeps.

Star Trek V: The Final Frontier

This film had a lot going for it and if handled correctly could have been sort of genius. However, the execution is pretty dreadful. Spock’s half-brother Sybok appears as a evangelical figure to cure the world, and the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise, of the deep rooted pain buried within all of them. He brings with him powers that turn him into an amalgamation of the ghost of Christmas past letting each of the crew, most specifically Kirk, Spock and Bones, experience the moment that started that physical and physiological pain. All the while Sybok has taken over the Enterprise in hopes of finding a planet hidden deep at the center of the galaxy. There really is no conflict in the film save for the sadly underused brash young Klingon captain who has set his target on Kirk for what happened on Genesis. He seems to disappear halfway through the film, which is a bummer. I should have known when the film opened with Kirk climbing a mountain in Yosemite I was in for a treat. Too bad it was a stale Oreo. William Shatner is at the helm of this one hoping, like Leanord Nimoy did before him, to secure his future in the Star Trek universe after Kirk was long gone. Unfortunately, the best thing about this film is the new theme music from Jerry Goldmsith that would serve as the opening theme to the only Trek I truly remember as a kid, The Next Generation Theme. Oh well, they can’t all be winners I suppose.

Star Trek Into Darkness

SPOILER ALERT…..Let’s be honest folks. This movie truly doesn’t exist without Wrath of Khan. We finally find out who John Harrison (Benedict Cumberbatch) really is and with a quick re-write, J.J. reverses the roles set in Khan where Kirk becomes the sacrificial lamb and Spock the vengeful Starship captain. Beyond a few more minor similarities this film is all JJ. He pays great respect to the films that came before while blazing his own unique trail. This is one of the best sequels since The Dark Knight and I think it’s the best Trek film I have seen yet. It’s emotional in a way the first one simply was not and really settles into the very important Spock/Kirk relationship. It’s paced like a ship doing warp and Cumberbatch really steals every scene he is in. There were a few surprises I didn’t see coming straight away and whenever a film, in this spoiler-loving world, can do that I get really excited. And because I have been doing this particular column I have been watching a good amount of trek so a lot of the references thrown into the film were a lot a fun to experience. This is a must see film for fans and non-fans that must be experienced on a big screen. It’s sweeping and yet it’s personal and definitely the best film of the year so far. I can’t imagine a world where J.J. is NOT directing Trek 3 but I will say, if Episode VII is anywhere near this good, we are in a good shape folks.

Welcome back for episode 6 of Best Geek VLOG Ever! In this week’s episode, Ez and Brenden discuss their top picks to replace JJ Abrams for Star Trek 3 (or 13 if you really want to be technical) and highlight the Brave controversy.

New Episodes of Best Geek VLOG Ever release every Monday via BGBE’s YouTube Channel. Suggest discussion topics in the comments section, and show your love for the show by liking, sharing and subscribing to the channel.

MICRO MAYHEM

Micro Mayhem! from Stoopid Buddy Stoodios on Vimeo.

The first thing you encounter when you walk into this exhibit is, fittingly, a dark room. There are two large screens on the wall both showing the same clips of Stanley Kubrick’s films, while one displays quotes from Kubrick and other people regarding the emotions these films are meant to express. Since I went on a Saturday the room was a bit full, but I didn’t mind taking a seat on the floor. In fact I preferred it, since sitting on a living room floor was how I was introduced to one of the filmmakers largely responsible for my obsession with movies. This exhibit runs until June 30^th, and I can’t rave about it enough.

There are plenty of props and artifacts from Kubrick’s movies, along with personal notes, video testimony, and personal effects like the camera he used to get his first paying commission with Look Magazine at the age of sixteen. What I like most about this exhibit however is that the people at LACMA wisely chose Kubrick as an example of how film as an art form is more than just an entertaining way to spend a few hours. By exploring his films, and his personal outlook on film as art, this exhibit asks us to consider that a filmmaker like Kubrick has the same desire to provoke visceral responses from the viewer no different than say that of people like Van Gough, Goya, or Picasso. This is not just a display of props, costumes, and behind the scenes factoids, although that stuff is pretty cool too. This exhibit is an exploration into film as an art form as formidable as anything else one comes across at a museum.

All of Kubrick’s films are explored, 2001: A Space Odyssey probably getting the most space, with such items as props, costumes, essays, script and production notes, and so much more. Some of the highlights for me were a diorama depicting the deathbed scene in 2001, the sexy Korova milk dispenser from A Clockwork Orange, the typewriter from The Shining, and the specially designed camera used for Barry Lyndon that allowed Kubrick to film the interiors with only candles and sunlight from the windows.  I also loved that they included items from the films of Kubrick that never saw the light of day, like storyboards for AI, costumes and sketches for Napoleon, and screen tests and interviews with the actress he had already cast in his Holocaust drama Aryan Papers. There were also some cool revelations for me with this exhibit.

There are some great examples of how Kubrick sparingly used the color red to catch the viewers off guard at specific moments in his movies, like the red carpet in the ceremony scene in Eyes Wide Shut, or the red space suit in the final conflict between Hal and Dave in 2001. I also loved reading some notes written by Kubrick on how he wanted the ending of Full Metal Jacket to not have too much of a dramatic impact, which I always thought was only because the first half was better than he anticipated. Most of all I loved finding out that Kubrick’s first full length feature Fear and Desire was filmed on and around some of the trails I’ve hiked in our very own San Gabriel Mountains; really freakin cool.

I think the folks at LACMA deserve a great deal of credit for this deep and entertaining exploration into the life’s work of a true cinematic genius. I also hope, very sincerely, that they continue with their goal of presenting film as a true modern art form. Maybe soon we can see exhibits on such people as Hitchcock, Fellini, Kurosawa, Altman, Scorsese, and so on.

ALL IMAGES RUN COURTESY OF AARON HARVEY OF GEEKFILTER.NET. CLICK ON THEM FOR A BIGGER VERSION

I’m sure it’s already marked in all of your calenders but in case you haven’t done so, my birthday is on May 24th. Go ahead, mark it, I’ll wait. I will be celebrating that weekend by watching Arrested Development Season 4, probably binging on it in it’s entirety. The show returns for it’s 4th season exclusively on Netflix and that is the best gift ever.  We’ve been steeped in anticipation as new posters have been revealed all month online. Also, their promotional tour leading up to the show, has a Bluth Banana Stand making it’s rounds across the globe.  However, we finally have a trailer for the shows 4th season and it arrives just in time.  While a single minute and half trailer for a 15 episode season won’t show us much, it’s exactly what the doctor ordered, and not one of those Analrapists kinds of doctors. I am so excited t hat this is returning abd you should be too. It seems like we never left, but we did, and it still hurts a little. I need to fill my holes with more Arrested Development.

Netflix subscribers get to shoot their wads starting May 26th.

Welcome back for episode 4 of Best Geek VLOG Ever! In this week’s episode, Ez and Brenden debut a brand new game called #Taglines. The goal of the game is to guess the movie from the oddly obscure and sometimes quite vague movie taglines made up by the movie studios. This weeks topics are Comic Book Movies and Romantic Comedies!

New Episodes of Best Geek VLOG Ever release every Monday via BGBE’s YouTube Channel. Suggest discussion topics in the comments section, and show your love for the show by liking, sharing and subscribing to the channel.

Snapshot is one of those books I’m certain I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to find unless my wife managed a comic shop. That’s not to say the book hasn’t found an audience, but more that I am generally a DC guy and that’s all I read. She has really opened my eyes to some of the strong indie titles that have really impressed me over the last year. Most of those titles coming from Image.  Saga, Comeback and Peter Panzerfaust would also fit into that category. She definitely skews more dark and adult, while I am perfectly comfortable with my Batman pulls. She brought home issue #1 of Snapshot, threw it down on the couch and said, “Read this, you’ll love it!” I took a look at it, said ok and kept watching TV. She insisted I read immediately. Not wanting to deprive her the satisfaction, I did and, like always, she was right.

Snapshot is stark in contrast to most of the other books I had been reading up to that point. Nobody wears a cape, it’s in black and white and it’s pure story i.e. No ads, no distractions. The art by Jock is also really fucking great and engaging. He’s able to do a lot with the monochrome style.  Issue #1 opens in a comic book store. Stage. Set.  When our protagonist, Jake Dobson, stumbles across an abandoned cell phone, his life begins to spiral out of control.  He discovers that the cell phone actually contains photos of what appears to be a murder victim. The body, splayed out with bullet holes in his head, jolts Jake into a game of cat and mouse when the hitman comes looking for his lost phone. However, when the dead man from the photo walks into the police station, things get really complicated.  Now, on the run, Jake’s worst nightmare has become a reality and the only one he can turn to is the mysterious daughter of the dead dude from the phone.

The story is actually very complex but never gets confusing.  Snapshot covers a lot of ground in only four issues with a high concept storyline that I was certain they weren’t going to be able to wrap up as I neared the end.  I’m glad I was wrong about that particular aspect. This book really does a good job keeping you on your toes. Just when you think you have something figured out, you don’t and why not pile on more insanity while we’re at it. The films conspiracy filled storyline involves finance, hidden compounds, missing pinky fingers and comic books.  What else do you need?