Missed Connections- Thor: JMS vs. Kenneth Branagh

As I busted a Thor viewing party amongst homies this week with its Blu-Ray release -- recalled the source material from J. Michael Straczynski & Olivier Coipel/Marko Djurdjević run (Thor #7-601) that influenced the Summer blockbuster.  As Con & Betty continued gawking and drooling over Hemsworth I was running through the particulars of how the film benefited from leaving out some of the arcs, characters and other aspects from the comics.  This was afterall my choice comics-flick of the year (yes, better than X-Men: First Class in my book) but the book was equally dope.  Gotta start by saying that damn it is sick that they made Hemsworth a near a splitting image of Coipel's art.  

From Mjölnir, the cape draping, chainmail-- Thor's modernized look from the books was nearly identical on-screen 

Alright, many differences to dissect between the book and script but I will roll through more of the elements that stand out for me.  First off is the family dynamic in the book that revolved around Thor, Odin, Loki, Borr (Odin's father) and Balder (brother of Thor and Loki).  It made tons of sense to cutout Borr and Balder from the film to help contain story and better manage screen time between Odin, Thor and Loki.  And it also allowed Loki to be portrayed in a less villainous way by not showing how it was actually he that went back in time to temporarily kill Borr.

Another huge component removed from the film was Dr. Donald Blake, who was the mortal tether on Midgard to Thor.  For many hardcore Thor readers this was probably one of the bigger gripes with the film.  But the confusion of it all and how it was Thor himself that was exiled to Midgard, let alone having some scrawny dood carrying around a stick that when struck to the ground would transform to Mjölnir & him to Thor--yeah, pass on that.  Also avoided was the in same way that Jane Foster became the mortal husk for Lady Sif.  Having Thor love both Sif and Jane Foster would not be carried over to the mainstream so well, maybe so in one of Colorado's polygamist community.  Good job Branagh.

The infusion of comedy and ancillary characters that helped to round out and ground the Nordic-god tale was vital in keeping the film palatable by us mere mortals.  This was carried out via Jane Foster (Natalie Portman), her sidekick Darcy Lewis (Kat Dennings) and the Warriors Three who were all only background or not in the books.  Whether it was the lecherous ogling over Thor by Foster & Lewis no different than my gal-pals do or the ensemble laugh box provided by Fandral & Volstagg-- humor was vital in making this a one-of-a-kind Superhero-Romantic/Comedy that made the film as successful as it was.

Being of Asian heritage I was overjoyed by the casting of one of the more talented Japanese actors of the last 20 years-- Tadanobu Asano as Hogun (of the Warriors Three). 

Asano was not just your add-in role to show ethnic diversity. Heimdall and many Asgardians were multi-ethnic

Yeah, sure this is a story steeped in Nordic fables but despite all of that Branagh and his casting team made a rich, believable international flick that reflected diversity.  Thor gets my inner-Angry Asian Man stamp of approval in making a multimillion production accepted beyond just the round-eyes of the world.  Take that Peter Jackson. 

The medium of comicbooks can be woven and developed in story to give homage to the multitude of creators and stories before it, but the art of movie-making can only do so much in less than 2 hours to  balance the egos of screenwriters, producers, directors and actors-- but in Thor they did just that.  Booyah!

This post was written by:
big O

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Your Highness - Puff, Puff, Pass?

It woulda been tough for you to miss a bus-stop, building or other ad space the last week with this bold image of a blood-shot, blinged-out McBride doing his best Puff the Magic Dragon impression to help create buzz for the opening weekend of Your Highness.  Seriously, every time the teaser poster caught my eye, I couldn't help but think-- will I really get to see a giant projection of Natalie Portman's nearly bare ass (in a thong) or will it just be a CG-granny pants? 

So it's Monday and the numbers call the film a bust being it didn't even hit $10 mil. with it's more than $50 million dollar price tag and highly-decorated Oscar nominee/winner cast.  But, you didn't come here to read all that shit right?!

Afterall, Your Highness heralds a 5th grade class Prez that dropped his first scribe work and leading role in a major motion picture?!!



The cast, creative and Universal Pictures should all be praised for their ambition on throwing out a film in this economic climate that is one part Princess Bride + two parts Conan / Beastmaster / Krull or anyother 80's sword & sorcery genre flick + a dash of Half Baked.  And when I say dash I mean more like a sprinkle.  Your Highness did have some in your face herb-al references that made me feel all green inside but it definitely held back on the imagination it could have truly went with.

I suppose when you openly flaunt an old wizard (Yoda-like) pedophile, follow with a forest full of nekkid Nymphs then show us a Minotaur dry humping poor lil' squire Courtney (brilliantly played by Rasmus Hardiker) full-frontal as highlights in the laugh track-- you really don't need to go out there in the whole-- I am high!-this is a stoner-movie-dood! drug-reference routine.

R-rated and you are already there.  Me...I was beyond entertained.  Your Highness no doubt will be looked at as a breakout film for Thadeous, I mean...Danny McBride both as an actor and producer. 

Truly appreciated the whole gender flip on the genre with Isabel(Portman) being the kick-ass hero, though they coulda given the always captivating Zooey Deschanel a bit more beyond the seemingly sad, damsel-in-distress role.  Hey, I am not complaining.  I did appreciate her Victoria Secret commercial spots that popped up here and there.  James Franco as the heroic but kinda gay Fabious brought it all together.

Props to the Director- David Gordon Green and the rest of the Pineapple Express alumni for delivering on a flick that is definitely a must see theatre experience for anyone that wants to be in with all of the raunchy-renaissance jokes.  And like their past project-- Green stressed that much of the film was improvisational, that after seeing it, makes sense that the talented cast all wanted to be a part of Your Highness.

Sure, Universal and other major studios may balk at bringing Green in for future big films, but I bet he has made some capital with the other side of the biz (yes, the actors!).  Oh and if you need more incentive to catch Your Highness now...no granny pants in the film! 



This post was written by:
big O

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SuperBowl Spots! Thor and Captain America

For some us SuperBowl XLV is less about the actual game and more about the mutlimillion$$ that take up the few minutes in between.  What got me out of my seat saying uh and ah was some fab Marvel film spots-- first up in May is Natalie Portman...I mean Thor.

And second, the first footage of Chris Evans as Chris America-- showing him go through his transformation into America's first Super-Soldier and how he rolls through from WWII to now-- hitting us the same week as Comic-Con.  Hey look it's the Red Skull!!

This post was written by:
big O

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New Trailer! Thor

This ain't no effing Teaser Trailer.

To answer SHIELD Agent Coulsen's question...Thor obviously got his training from my fellow asian right here!!  Love the setup of Odin outcasting Thor to Midgard -- that I got to enjoy from reading the first two issues of Ultimate Thor -- which Hickman was probably imagining in his script couldn't look this good in live-action.  Oh, yes it does.

And if that wasn't enough for you...how about two obligatory reasons why I want to watch this film?

This post was written by:
big O

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New Trailer! Your Highness - Spring 2011

Once again, the comedy gods appear to come through next year by dropping Your Highness starring Danny McBride, James Franco, Natalie Portman and Zooey Deschanel. Set in a middle age/fantasy period, McBride plays Thadeous, an arrogant lazy prince along with brother, Fabious ( Franco), set off on an epic journey to save Fabious’ bride (Deschanel) and their father's kingdom. Natalie Portman plays a hot warrior princess who is also the Thadeous’ love interest.

Directed by David Gordon Green (Pineapple Express, Eastbound and Down) the film is set to be released on April 8, 2011. Props to Ms. Portman for a money medieval thong scene.






This post was written by:
tim-chi

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