Recent posts

#1

Misc. Burton / Re: Nicholson Joker Appreciati...

Last post by The Joker - Yesterday at 23:25

#2

Movies / Re: The Exorcist Thread

Last post by The Joker - Yesterday at 23:17

Yeah, I'm on the same page.

Upon reading about this, I initially thought that whatever David Gordon Green's ideas for a follow up were would be completely disregarded, but perhaps not? The hellish fate of one particular character seemed to be a plot thread that was to be further explored (DGG said he had "ideas" on the commentary track), and we also saw a "reunion" near the conclusion came across as something that would be elaborated upon.

With Mike Flanagan now on board, I'm fairly sure he can assuredly improve on whatever DGG had in mind. His participation does make me feel a bit better about the ultimate prospect of the Blumhouse Exorcist trilogy.

#3

Movies / Re: Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (2...

Last post by The Joker - Yesterday at 23:02

#4

Movies / Re: The Exorcist Thread

Last post by thecolorsblend - Yesterday at 12:35

Apparently, Blumhouse is going ahead with a sequel to Believer. They've announced that franchise-fixer Mike Flanagan has a take on this material that will hopefully revitalize the franchise in ways that Believer wasn't able to do.

I reassert my ongoing reluctance to make sequels to the original Exorcist film. However, you'd think that if anybody is capable of developing a worthwhile sequel, it would be Flanagan. But if he can't do it and if Wan is busy with other projects, then maybe these Exorcist sequels should be put to bed.

In any case, Flanagan's participation is a game-changer for me. I do intend to keep an eye on this.

#5

Movies / Re: Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (2...

Last post by Silver Nemesis - Yesterday at 08:49

#6

Misc Comics / Re: Obscene Batman moment in D...

Last post by The Dark Knight - Thu, 30 May 2024, 11:11

I just read that comic not too long ago, I guess it didn't strike me as much. Would it have been too much for Batman to act on any of these threats? Absolutely. But they're just that - threats. It's not out of the ordinary for Batman to threaten awful things, mostly inflicting pain on a cornered victim for information. But it's only when something's seriously wrong that he actually follows through, the story does not frame this as virtuous.

Most incarnations of Batman have boundaries, and after a while operating on the streets people begin to know it. Maroni says as much when he compares him to the Joker in TDK. There has to be an element of doubt present in the criminal's mind for them to second guess themselves. Maybe Batman will kill me? Maybe Batman will go that far this time? Batman talking like this helps keep people on edge. That's an important component of being a human crimefighter. At the end of the day, the decision is in the suspect's court. If they don't want to cooperate they've been told what will happen. Batman isn't threatening someone he knows to be innocent.

#7

Graphic Novels / Re: The Killing Joke

Last post by The Dark Knight - Wed, 29 May 2024, 09:53

I managed to pick up a copy of the original Killing Joke for a reasonable price. This is the way the book should look. The new version takes away all the personality and atmosphere (along with the yellow oval...unforgivable!) to make the experience generic. Give me the acid trip fever dream every day of the week, and the fact this is how it was first released means a lot to me.

#8

Movies / Re: Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (2...

Last post by Silver Nemesis - Tue, 28 May 2024, 22:28

Actually seeing the movie was fine on its own merits. I enjoyed the production design and gothy Winona Ryder. But I always believed the first Ghostbusters film provided a far superior mix of authentic horror and genuine comedy than Beetlejuice. The characters never made a huge impression on me and I don't recall watching much of the animated series precisely because of the fact that I wasn't overly taken by the film.

I liked the mythology of the film. The rules the ghosts had to live by, the Handbook For The Recently Deceased and those things. But the movie didn't explore that stuff to the degree that I might've preferred.

This is more or less how I feel about it. I like how the premise of the original film inverts a typical haunted house narrative by showing the story from the ghosts' perspective, with the ghosts being the sympathetic protagonists who are trying to evict the obnoxious humans from their home. I like the visual style, Elfman's score and the retro stop-motion effects. The cast is good and the whole mythology of the afterlife as a bureaucratic netherworld is inventive. All the pieces are there. But for some reason... I don't know, it just never quite clicked with me on a personal level. Again, it probably stems from that initial disappointment I felt as a kid that it wasn't like the cartoon show. Maybe if I'd seen the film before the animated series I'd have felt differently.

It is a good movie, and if were comparing it to other eighties ghost comedies I'd certainly rank it above Scrooged or High Spirits (both of which came out the same year as Beetlejuice). But I'd rank it below the original Ghostbusters, which is obviously the king of eighties ghost comedies, and I'd also rank it as the weakest of Burton's eighties films. Vincent and Pee-wee's Big Adventures are just as creative as Beetlejuice, but I think they hold up better as comedies. They're funnier. And Batman is clearly Burton's best picture from that decade.

The fact I don't love the original Beetlejuice as much as I'd like to is the reason I'm open to the idea of the sequel. They were obviously never going to top Ghostbusters '84, but I reckon they could surpass or at least match the quality of the original Beetlejuice. It's not an impossible benchmark to reach. This is one of the few eighties movie reboots that stands a decent chance of satisfying its target audience. If nothing else, I'm looking forward to seeing Keaton reprise the title role. He's always said in interviews that it was the character he'd most like to revisit, and judging from the trailer he looks exactly like he did in the original. The first film won an Oscar for its make-up effects. I wouldn't be surprised if the sequel gets nominated in the same category.

#9

Misc. Burton / Re: Oscars 2024 with Michael K...

Last post by Silver Nemesis - Tue, 28 May 2024, 21:59

This also appeals to my headcanon, wherein Keaton's Batman defeated Mr. Freeze.

I saw this piece on X, and couldn't help but think of your comment.

That's a great poster. The coloured lighting evokes a visual midpoint between Burton and Schumacher. The only missing elements are Robin and Bane, but perhaps their inclusion would've made it too crowded. If we're counting The Flash as part of the canon then Nam-Ek should really be on there too, since he was the last comic book villain this Batman faced off against.

#10

Misc Comics / Re: Comics in which Batman kil...

Last post by thecolorsblend - Tue, 28 May 2024, 20:56

This might not be the best thread for this discussion.

Anyway, Razorfist shares his thoughts on a non-killing Batman. Lots of references to The Shadow as well.

Lots of swearing as might be expected of Razorfist.