There are a lot of lists of worst movies based on comics and superheroes. Here is a list I put together based on superhero and comic movies based on Razzie Award Nominations and Wins. I've included Superbabies: Baby Geniuses 2, even though it is debatable whether it qualifies as a superhero movie.
Entries with astericks indicate that the awards were for actors who appeared in more than one movie (for example, Jessica Alba was nominated for Worst Actor for appearing in Fantastic Four and Into the Blue.)
8 Nominations
Son of the Mask (1 Win)
7 Nominations
Catwoman (4 wins)
Batman and Robin
6 Nominations
Barb Wire (1 Win)
5 Nominations
Howard the Duck (2 Wins)
4 Nominations
Sheena: Queen of the Jungle
Superbabies: Baby Geniuses 2
3 Nominations
Red Sonja (1 Win)
2 Nominations
Jonah Hex
Supergirl
Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer *
1 Nomination
The Return of Swamp Thing (1 Win)
Batman Returns
Fantastic Four **
Batman Forever
Steel
Batman Begins
Superman Returns
Superman III
Masters of the Universe
Superman IV: The Quest for Peace
The Mask ***
* Jessica Alba was nominated for Worst Actress for her roles in Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, Awake, and Good Luck Chuck. Jessica Alba was nominated for Worst Screen Couple with Ioan Grufudd in Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, with Hayden Christensen in Awake, and with Dane Cook in Good Luck Chuck.
** Jessica Alba was nominated for Worst Actress for her roles in Fantastic Four and Into the Blue.
*** Jim Carrey was nominated for Worst New Star for his roles in The Mask, Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, and Dumb and Dumber.
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Young Justice: Episode 1 & 2 (Independence Day & Fireworks)
I've been watching Young Justice. I'm really enjoying myself, so I decided to start reviewing the episodes. (I'll be reviewing episodes as I watch them, and avoiding spoilers as much as I can.) I'm going to review the first 2 episodes in this review, since it's a two-parter. Warning: this will be long.
Ten word summary: Great episodes, fun characters and excellent animation. A solid beginning.
Massive spoilers behind the cut.
Ten word summary: Great episodes, fun characters and excellent animation. A solid beginning.
Massive spoilers behind the cut.
Monday, March 28, 2011
Marvel + UK = OTP?
In my last post, I mentioned that The Marvel Super Heroes is available on DVD only in the UK (Region 2). Well, it turns out that's true of a lot of Marvel Comics cartoons. Don't believe me? Here's a list.
1) The Marvel Super Heroes
2) Fantastic Four (1978 series)
3) Spider-Woman
4) Spider-Man (1981 series)
5) Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends
6) The Incredible Hulk (1982 series)
7) The Incredible Hulk (1996 series)
8) Silver Surfer
9) Spider-Man Unlimited
10) The Avengers: United They Stand
Honorable mention goes to the 90s Spider-Man cartoon, which has been had all 4 seasons released in the UK but only a few DVDs with 4-5 episodes each released in Region 1.
Now I'm all for releasing these series in the UK but would it kill them to release them in the United States too?
1) The Marvel Super Heroes
2) Fantastic Four (1978 series)
3) Spider-Woman
4) Spider-Man (1981 series)
5) Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends
6) The Incredible Hulk (1982 series)
7) The Incredible Hulk (1996 series)
8) Silver Surfer
9) Spider-Man Unlimited
10) The Avengers: United They Stand
Honorable mention goes to the 90s Spider-Man cartoon, which has been had all 4 seasons released in the UK but only a few DVDs with 4-5 episodes each released in Region 1.
Now I'm all for releasing these series in the UK but would it kill them to release them in the United States too?
Saturday, March 26, 2011
The Marvel Super Heroes- You Don’t Get Much More Old School Than This
I really have no taste when it comes to superhero TV shows. I've enjoyed Super Friends episodes for their endless cheesiness, and I actually own Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation on DVD. Mind you, I don't think Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation was good, but I enjoy making fun of how laughably bad it is. The same is true of many other older shows.
While looking into older cartoons in my endless search for cheesy superhero cartoons, I came across the first ever animated series by Marvel Comics: The Marvel Super Heroes. The Marvel Super Heroes aired in 1966, and the style of animation makes them pretty much the first motion comics. And yes, motion comics were just as pathetic looking back then as they are now.
The show had 5 different features: Captain America, The Incredible Hulk, The Invincible Iron Man, The Mighty Thor, and Prince Namor the Sub-Mariner. 13 episodes of each of the features were produced, making a total of 65 episodes.
Amusingly, these shows were allowed to have content that was often not allowed in future cartoon series. About a dozen titles included "die" or "death", and the very first episode involves realistic looking fire arms.
If you're like me and enjoy older cartoons, it is available on DVD . . . but only for Region 2 (Europe). If you live anywhere outside of Region 2, this means that you'll need a region-free DVD player if you want to actually watch the DVDs. (Otherwise, you'll just be buying some expensive Frisbees.)
Be warned that this show is incredibly corny and its age really shows. If you can, watch some episodes before buying it, so you know what you’re getting into.
Here are links to the DVDs on Amazon UK, if you're interested in buying them.
1) Marvel Superhero Classics Collection [DVD]
Contains 52 episodes (all but the Incredible Hulk episodes).
2) The Incredible Hulk 1966 Complete Season
All 13 Incredible Hulk episodes.
While looking into older cartoons in my endless search for cheesy superhero cartoons, I came across the first ever animated series by Marvel Comics: The Marvel Super Heroes. The Marvel Super Heroes aired in 1966, and the style of animation makes them pretty much the first motion comics. And yes, motion comics were just as pathetic looking back then as they are now.
The show had 5 different features: Captain America, The Incredible Hulk, The Invincible Iron Man, The Mighty Thor, and Prince Namor the Sub-Mariner. 13 episodes of each of the features were produced, making a total of 65 episodes.
Amusingly, these shows were allowed to have content that was often not allowed in future cartoon series. About a dozen titles included "die" or "death", and the very first episode involves realistic looking fire arms.
If you're like me and enjoy older cartoons, it is available on DVD . . . but only for Region 2 (Europe). If you live anywhere outside of Region 2, this means that you'll need a region-free DVD player if you want to actually watch the DVDs. (Otherwise, you'll just be buying some expensive Frisbees.)
Be warned that this show is incredibly corny and its age really shows. If you can, watch some episodes before buying it, so you know what you’re getting into.
Here are links to the DVDs on Amazon UK, if you're interested in buying them.
1) Marvel Superhero Classics Collection [DVD]
Contains 52 episodes (all but the Incredible Hulk episodes).
2) The Incredible Hulk 1966 Complete Season
All 13 Incredible Hulk episodes.
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Creeper as a Demon
There was a six-issue Creeper miniseries that came out in 2006. It firmly established his origin as purely scientific. Or at least as scientific as "multiple personalities brought on by smart skin that gives you a healing factor, a laugh that makes people's ears bleed and a green speedo that materialized out of nowhere" can be.
In fact, Creeper has always had a (pseudo) scientific origin. Originally, he was was given a device that switch back and forth between his Creeper wardrobe and whatever he was wearing. He was completely sane, but he acted insane in order to scare criminals. Later writers had him begin to show signs of genuine insanity, and eventually his origin was retold by Keith Giffen so that he actually was insane . . . at least when he was the Creeper.
In the 1990's, Creeper got a solo series which made both Jack Ryder and the Creeper genuinely insane. Jack Ryder suffered from bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and a host of other psychological issues, which resulted in the creation of the Creeper persona. It was an excellent, if short-lived, series which had as much psychological drama as action.
The 2006 retelling of Creeper's origin doesn't really clearly fit anywhere within previous storylines, but it still maintained the split personality and insanity that the character had developed.
Then Keith Giffen turned the Creeper into a demon that possesses Jack Ryder in the poorly written Reign of Hell series. This destroyed the psychological drama that had made the character so interesting and intriguing, and essentially made him the poor man's Etrigan. Not only that, but it retconned the new origin that had been established two years earlier. And Keith Giffen should have known better, since he wrote the retold origin which made Creeper insane in the first place!
Sadly, rather than ignore Reign in Hell, Creeper is being even more poorly written in the current run of Outsiders . . . by Dan Didio. (I'll save my rant about editors not being writers for another time.) Creeper is now a dime-a-dozen demon with no signs of insanity and no signs of the character who I had grown to love. In fact, he was better written in Countdown . . .
I know DC Comics and Dan Didio don't give a damn about my opinion, but I'm going to ask this anyway: Please, please, please drop the "Creeper as demon" plot point. It was poorly written, poorly executed and poorly conceived. I miss the lovable maniac I grew to love . . . and I'm sure I'm not the only fan of the Creeper who feels that way.
In fact, Creeper has always had a (pseudo) scientific origin. Originally, he was was given a device that switch back and forth between his Creeper wardrobe and whatever he was wearing. He was completely sane, but he acted insane in order to scare criminals. Later writers had him begin to show signs of genuine insanity, and eventually his origin was retold by Keith Giffen so that he actually was insane . . . at least when he was the Creeper.
In the 1990's, Creeper got a solo series which made both Jack Ryder and the Creeper genuinely insane. Jack Ryder suffered from bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and a host of other psychological issues, which resulted in the creation of the Creeper persona. It was an excellent, if short-lived, series which had as much psychological drama as action.
The 2006 retelling of Creeper's origin doesn't really clearly fit anywhere within previous storylines, but it still maintained the split personality and insanity that the character had developed.
Then Keith Giffen turned the Creeper into a demon that possesses Jack Ryder in the poorly written Reign of Hell series. This destroyed the psychological drama that had made the character so interesting and intriguing, and essentially made him the poor man's Etrigan. Not only that, but it retconned the new origin that had been established two years earlier. And Keith Giffen should have known better, since he wrote the retold origin which made Creeper insane in the first place!
Sadly, rather than ignore Reign in Hell, Creeper is being even more poorly written in the current run of Outsiders . . . by Dan Didio. (I'll save my rant about editors not being writers for another time.) Creeper is now a dime-a-dozen demon with no signs of insanity and no signs of the character who I had grown to love. In fact, he was better written in Countdown . . .
I know DC Comics and Dan Didio don't give a damn about my opinion, but I'm going to ask this anyway: Please, please, please drop the "Creeper as demon" plot point. It was poorly written, poorly executed and poorly conceived. I miss the lovable maniac I grew to love . . . and I'm sure I'm not the only fan of the Creeper who feels that way.
Saturday, October 2, 2010
Wonder Woman Movie
Just watched the Wonder Woman animated movie. I'm . . . underwhelmed. Although the plot had some problems, my main problem was with Wonder Woman and how her character was handled.
I'll admit that I don't read Wonder Woman regularly, but what I have read about her tells me this:
Wonder Woman is kind. She doesn't shove her views and morals in others' faces. Instead she leads by example, showing compassion, mercy and kindness. She shows women are men's equals by example. She doesn't treat men as inferiors, but rather as friends and equals.
Wonder Woman can be brutal in a fight, but she is just as willing to help redeem an enemy as she is to administer a beatdown. In fact, she would much rather help an enemy become a friend than fight them. She favors diplomacy over violence, but understands that violence is sometimes necessary in order to protect the lives of others.
The Wonder Woman in this movie is not that Wonder Woman. The Wonder Woman of this movie reminds me of a caricature of a man-hating feminist: one that believes that women are the epitome of virtue and that the world would be perfect if only those evil men weren't involved. (Admittedly, there are some crazies in the feminist movement, but most aren't like that. And Diana certainly never was like that.) She's arrogant, cocky and she isn't in the least bit regal. To be fair, she still is shown to want to do the right thing, help others and make the world a better place . . . but her claims about wanting to bridge the gap between "man's world" and the Amazons seem hollow given her actions.
Even though I'm not a huge fan of Wonder Woman, it still bugs me to see a portrayal this far removed from her comic book counterpart. I think I'm gonna go read the "Gods and Mortals" TPB, and wonder why they didn't just adapt that instead. Because it would have rocked.
I'll admit that I don't read Wonder Woman regularly, but what I have read about her tells me this:
Wonder Woman is kind. She doesn't shove her views and morals in others' faces. Instead she leads by example, showing compassion, mercy and kindness. She shows women are men's equals by example. She doesn't treat men as inferiors, but rather as friends and equals.
Wonder Woman can be brutal in a fight, but she is just as willing to help redeem an enemy as she is to administer a beatdown. In fact, she would much rather help an enemy become a friend than fight them. She favors diplomacy over violence, but understands that violence is sometimes necessary in order to protect the lives of others.
The Wonder Woman in this movie is not that Wonder Woman. The Wonder Woman of this movie reminds me of a caricature of a man-hating feminist: one that believes that women are the epitome of virtue and that the world would be perfect if only those evil men weren't involved. (Admittedly, there are some crazies in the feminist movement, but most aren't like that. And Diana certainly never was like that.) She's arrogant, cocky and she isn't in the least bit regal. To be fair, she still is shown to want to do the right thing, help others and make the world a better place . . . but her claims about wanting to bridge the gap between "man's world" and the Amazons seem hollow given her actions.
Even though I'm not a huge fan of Wonder Woman, it still bugs me to see a portrayal this far removed from her comic book counterpart. I think I'm gonna go read the "Gods and Mortals" TPB, and wonder why they didn't just adapt that instead. Because it would have rocked.
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