Thursday, May 17, 2012

Doug Asks Patrick Questions About Movies

Patrick knows a lot about movies. Doug has seen Batman and Robin dozens of times. In an effort to expand Doug's cinematic horizons, he'll be asking Patrick questions about movies in a column we're calling "Doug Asks Patrick Questions About Movies."

SUPERHERO EDITION

Superhero movies: is it all downhill after 2012?

It has to be. IT HAS TO BE. Between last year, which saw the release of four superhero movies (not counting Super), and this summer, we have reached the saturation point. Where the hell do you go after a year that includes both The Dark Knight Rises and The Avengers? I don't think they're going away altogether -- it's been proven that they're a viable genre in which to tell stories, like westerns or sci-fi -- but I do think some things have to change.  Too many superhero movies tell the exact same story (origin/hero's journey); only the costume is different. That's because they're less interested in being movies than in establishing a new franchise. They exist to introduce audiences to a character that will hopefully pop up in more movies. The glut of superhero movies and, in particular, origin stories are the reason that all the advertising for The Amazing Spider-Man is being met with total indifference -- it's just too much of the same, and audiences are picking up on it, even with a character they've already proven to want to see on screen.

The Christopher Nolan Batman movies are a good place to look for the potential of using the superhero genre as a way of telling different kinds of stories, though I'll admit that's setting the bar kind of high.

What is your favorite superhero movie of all time?

Funny you should ask! Here at F This Movie! -- the site that you yourself write for, and the one you're probably reading right now -- we do a weekly podcast called F This Movie! Prior to the glut of superhero movies released last summer, we did a show on our favorite superhero movies and it dealt with this very question. I'll go ahead and answer, but you should check it out.

It's Spider-Man 2.

What director would you like to see tackle the superhero genre, and why?

David Cronenberg. Because Lois Lane should have a leg wound, and Superman should have sex with it.

Who do you think has been the most miscast actor in a superhero role?

I think a lot of people would immediately answer Ben Affleck in Daredevil, but not me -- partly because I don't hate that movie as much as most, and partly because I am a special snowflake. I agree that Affleck is miscast (I would have liked to see Guy Pearce), but I don't think he's any more miscast than Nicolas Cage in Ghost Rider or Kate Bosworth in Superman Lives or Jessica Alba in Fantastic Four and Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer. For my money, the most miscast is Matthew Goode as Ozymandias in Zack Snyder's Watchmen, a movie I really, really love in spite of his performance. His decision to play Ozymandias as fey and vaguely European  -- Superman by way of David Bowie -- is all wrong for the character. Explaining why would take me into spoiler territory, but if you're familiar with the original Alan Moore/Dave Gibbons book, chances are you agree. Maybe I just have never been able to get over the fact that the part was at one point going to be played by Tom Crusie. If you know Watchmen, you know how brilliant that casting would have been.

Who's the foxiest Catwoman?


If you've got a question you want Doug to ask Patrick, email it to fthismoviepodcast(at)gmail.com

4 comments:

  1. Completely agree on the Matthew Goode casting of Ozymandias. I thought that while watching the movie without having read the graphic novel. (I've read it since then.) Can you believe he was also being considered for Superman? That would've been turrrrible.

    PS... CONGRATS!!!

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    1. Thanks, Miguel! His performance totally stands out whether you've read the book or not, because it's obvious he's made a big choice and it feels like the wrong choice.

      And he would have been NOT GOOD for Superman, though I'm still not sure they made the right choice. That's only because I've never seen Henry Cavill in action (I did not see Immortals). I remain optimistic.

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  2. Doug has seen Batman and Robin dozens of time!!!??? It's a wonder that he's still (arguably) sane.

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    1. I made that one up to keep with the theme. Those introductions are usually totally factual, though.

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