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By Collin, on May 2nd, 2011

Ender’s Game The Movie is happening!

## I have written a companion article to this one found here.

The original novel cover...I think. I haven't read the newest novel about Peter as Hegemon. I also haven't read the graphic novel.

After almost fifteen years of waiting, I’m finally gonna’ get to see a movie of Ender’s Game. Fans aren’t that happy about the production company making it, Summit Entertainment, but I remain pretty optimistic.

I have total faith in Orson Scott Card and his tenacious attitude: He’d just as well not make a movie if it doesn’t do the source material justice.

The novel is about a boy Ender who was more-or-less manufactured through mating to be a genius. After the logical deduction to use violence against a classmate, he is recruited into a Battle School for genius children.

A majority of the story takes place at the Battle School as young, genius kids match wits against each other in military games. Like Harry Potter, Ender is sort of “the chosen one”.  He’s a boy with a mind so brilliant that he might just be the hope for mankind.

Mankind has been under attack from an alien race and, after defeating them in the past, a new generation of military minds is needed…

Also important are Ender’s brother and sister Peter and Valentine, respectively. They are an important feature to Earth’s politics while Ender is at Battle School. But I’m not going to get into that here.

A parallel novel that came out many years later was Ender’s Shadow. Many argue, myself included, that somehow this novel manages to be just as, or even better, than the original. The books follows young, tiny Bean as he drags himself through homelessness in the terrible city of Rotterdam. The result of an illegal human engineering racket, Bean is one of the most intelligent people on earth, but is also smaller and scrawnier than most other children. However, he uses his brilliant mind to drag himself out of the ghetto and land himself in Battle School. Eventually becoming second only to Ender in leadership. Ender’s Shadow is my favorite pop, sci-fi novel. It is more sacred to me than even the original. I mention this novel because I have a prediction, which I’ll get to.

My favorite of the series and one of my favorite books ever.

Most fans are commenting on how important the novel was to them. How much a part of their childhood it was and so on. I don’t really care what happens (I can always go back to the book) but a couple things are  bouncing around in my mind.

For once, in regards to the source material, I’m an expert. I’m one of the original, die-hard fans of a beloved book which will be taken on by Hollywood. Like Akira’s adaptation, a few things worry me. In regards to Ender’s Game, here they are:

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By Collin, on April 19th, 2011

Michael Shannon’s casting in Superman made me so happy.

 

For once in my life I’m actually looking forward to a Superman movie. I don’t dislike Superman, I’ve just never been very interested in his character. I grew up in the age of the Ninja Turtles, X-men, and Spiderman. Superman was totally irrelevant. Maybe even a bit antiquated. I only saw the Superman movies when I was in my late teens. So they were dated, even corny. There was no nostalghia to be had.

I don’t like to blog about updates or possible casting or directing changes unless it pertains specifically to movies that interest me. Aronofsky’s recent departure from The Wolverine made me indifferent to such announcements until principal photography begins.

Shannon being cast as Zod is stroke of genius, because he’s so obviously not the first choice. These days I’m surprised they didn’t hire Ryan Reynolds or something.

Moreover, I’ve been singing Shannon’s genius since I saw Shotgun Stories in 2007. I commented it might be one of the better performances I’d seen in a long time. So fucking subtle and nuanced. This is just a short clip, but I think it works.

He was very good in Revolutionary Road, if the character was not a bit thematically contrived. He was even better in Son, Son What Have Ye Done and finally showed the world he was a force to be reckoned with as the guilt-ridden federal agent in Boardwalk Empire.

Shannon has a brooding intensity that makes all his characters fascinating and he does this effortlessly. I remember him commenting that when he’s relaxed he just seems to look angry. Its not that he looks angry, it looks like there is madness behind his eyes.

Lastly, after seeing Sucker Punch I’m terrified that Zach Snyder might have let his technique get the best of him. My hope is that producers will stay on top of him to make the movie less of slow motion shots set to music on Zach Snyder’s Ipod and more of what traditionally makes Synder great: His impeccable ability to make stuff look cool.

-Collin

 

By Collin, on March 17th, 2011

Darren Aronofsky leaves The Wolverine


Well, shit. I think the headline speaks for itself. What more can I say? Deadline covers the story better than I ever could. According to them Aronosky said, “As I talked more about the film with my collaborators at Fox, it became clear that the production of The Wolverine would keep me out of the country for almost a year. I was not comfortable being away from my family for that length of time. I am sad that I won’t be able to see the project through, as it is a terrific script and I was very much looking forward to working with my friend, Hugh Jackman, again.”

Sounds pretty lame to me. But, it is a personal decision and it happens. The essence of Aronofsky is now gone from the project. The dude is the ultimate flake-out artist. The word is that it has nothing to do with Japan’s recent crisis, but instead, it is just what he claims: He doesn’t want to be away from his son.

What’s next for The Wolverine? Fuck if I know. I just feel bad for Hugh Jackman who is killing himself right now physically. I hope someone dope comes in and finishes the movie. Isn’t Cary Fukunaga available? Whatever. On a side, why does Aronofsky still have that mustache? Again, he looks like a jewish John Waters.

-Collin