What Movie Did You Just Watch? ... And Robin
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The Pianist (2002) 8/10 - another film by everyone’s favorite child rapist and this one has to be my favorite of his. This takes you through a Jewish Pianist’s struggle for survival in Poland as the Nazi’s invade. Well acted, well directed, well shot, and the story kept my attention all the way through. I’m not sure if Adrien Brody’s acting was Oscar worthy but it was quite compelling. Everything seemed to be pretty solid. While it wasn’t as thrilling as Schindler's List, it was just as captivating and chilling. It should be noted that this movie is based on real events/people, like Schindler's List or The Diary of Anne Frank, which makes the horrific depictions on screen all the more unbearable. I guess Nazi’s will always make for some of Hollywood’s scariest monsters.
Downfall (2004) 7.5/10 - this is the movie where all those YouTube parodies came from (where people change the subtitles to make it look like Hitler’s pissed about something insignificant). This movie is much more then just a provider of endless parodies but a deep look at Hitler as the man and the people he surrounded himself with (we see him fall apart as his Generals defect, it even continues past his suicide). The Nazis and Hitler aren’t demonized here, neither are they glorified. Instead, we get an honest look at who these people were, mostly thought the eyes of a young secretary named Traudl Junge (in which you see real life footage of at the beginning and end of the film). I can’t say how accurate it is, as I’m sure some stuff was fabricated for the sake of drama, but there was quite a lot of research that went into making this film (as far as accurately portraying the events and characters). I don’t think I’d go as far as to call it a docudrama. As for the acting, there are plenty of fine performances in this large ensemble cast, with Bruno Gantz doubtlessly being the definitive screen portrayal of Hitler (yes, even more so then Charlie Chaplin, lol). The pacing was excellent at the beginning, but slowed down a little too much in the middle, but then picked back up at the end. Still, this was a compelling look at who these people, that caused soo much death and destruction, really were.
Pan’s Labyrinth (2006) 7.5/10 - it was just as good as I remember it, although, I’m still not seeing the masterpiece that many are. The tale of a young girl who escapes to her fantasy world to avoid the brutal reality of the Spanish Civil War. Great visual and makeup effects, with a haunting lullaby score and some great acting from well defined characters. My main problem with the story is that the fantasy and reality elements don’t always mix that well. It kind of throws the tone of the movie all over the place and it can feel just a little awkward sometimes. Still an enjoyable movie and it’s always nice to see something original.
Downfall (2004) 7.5/10 - this is the movie where all those YouTube parodies came from (where people change the subtitles to make it look like Hitler’s pissed about something insignificant). This movie is much more then just a provider of endless parodies but a deep look at Hitler as the man and the people he surrounded himself with (we see him fall apart as his Generals defect, it even continues past his suicide). The Nazis and Hitler aren’t demonized here, neither are they glorified. Instead, we get an honest look at who these people were, mostly thought the eyes of a young secretary named Traudl Junge (in which you see real life footage of at the beginning and end of the film). I can’t say how accurate it is, as I’m sure some stuff was fabricated for the sake of drama, but there was quite a lot of research that went into making this film (as far as accurately portraying the events and characters). I don’t think I’d go as far as to call it a docudrama. As for the acting, there are plenty of fine performances in this large ensemble cast, with Bruno Gantz doubtlessly being the definitive screen portrayal of Hitler (yes, even more so then Charlie Chaplin, lol). The pacing was excellent at the beginning, but slowed down a little too much in the middle, but then picked back up at the end. Still, this was a compelling look at who these people, that caused soo much death and destruction, really were.
Pan’s Labyrinth (2006) 7.5/10 - it was just as good as I remember it, although, I’m still not seeing the masterpiece that many are. The tale of a young girl who escapes to her fantasy world to avoid the brutal reality of the Spanish Civil War. Great visual and makeup effects, with a haunting lullaby score and some great acting from well defined characters. My main problem with the story is that the fantasy and reality elements don’t always mix that well. It kind of throws the tone of the movie all over the place and it can feel just a little awkward sometimes. Still an enjoyable movie and it’s always nice to see something original.

The Big Lebowski
Two hours of my life I'll never get back. It had some good scenes, I got to laugh a couple of times, and it had some funny characters (Walter, the German nihilists) but overall it was all very uninteresting. I guess I'll never get the Coens.
Ah well, at least it had a Bob Dylan song in it ('The Man In Me', New Morning, 1970).
Two hours of my life I'll never get back. It had some good scenes, I got to laugh a couple of times, and it had some funny characters (Walter, the German nihilists) but overall it was all very uninteresting. I guess I'll never get the Coens.
Ah well, at least it had a Bob Dylan song in it ('The Man In Me', New Morning, 1970).
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Metropolis (1984 Giorgio Moroder Revision) - I'd actually never seen this film before, and for my first viewing, I decided to do something that'll have purists clutching their pearls and clencing their buttcheeks - I tracked down a DVD-R of the 1984 Giorgio Moroder revision of the film and watched it. To be honest, I think his revision is an interesting interpretation. The film was amazingly shot and beautifully constructed, even in this truncated form. (Although this actually had more footage than most versions, plus one scene filled in with photographs - the short length has mostly to do with faster frame rates, removal of intertitles, and footage that was missing in 1984.) It has me pumped to watch the recent reconstruction.
I quite enjoyed Moroder's score. It's dated, but it actually feels very appropriate, as the music was then very futuristic-sounding - not too inappropriate for a film about the future. However, some of the songs were better left as tracks on the soundtrack album rather than actually part of the film. I thought Pat Benatar's song "Here's My Heart" was well-used and well-placed, although I'm disappointed that the version included on the soundtrack album isn't the same, and I much prefer what's in the film - it's a gorgeous almost operatic performance that showcases Pat's little-known soprano abilities, whereas the album version sounds like another generic Benatar track. Freddie Mercury's song "Love Kills" also worked very nicely in the scene it was used in. However, some others fell flat when heard in the context of the film, such as Bonnie Tyler's "Here She Comes," the theme for "fake Maria."
It'd be nice if this version could be restored using the better-quality footage from recent restorations and released on DVD and/or Blu-Ray. I know many purists would rather have all copies of this version destroyed, but if it weren't for this version, public interest in the film would never have been reignited, and we might not have the restorations we've had in the years since. After all, it was the opening titles of Moroder's version that alerted people to the fact that footage had been removed, plotlines reworked, etc. and that the film we'd known for years was not Lang's original.
I quite enjoyed Moroder's score. It's dated, but it actually feels very appropriate, as the music was then very futuristic-sounding - not too inappropriate for a film about the future. However, some of the songs were better left as tracks on the soundtrack album rather than actually part of the film. I thought Pat Benatar's song "Here's My Heart" was well-used and well-placed, although I'm disappointed that the version included on the soundtrack album isn't the same, and I much prefer what's in the film - it's a gorgeous almost operatic performance that showcases Pat's little-known soprano abilities, whereas the album version sounds like another generic Benatar track. Freddie Mercury's song "Love Kills" also worked very nicely in the scene it was used in. However, some others fell flat when heard in the context of the film, such as Bonnie Tyler's "Here She Comes," the theme for "fake Maria."
It'd be nice if this version could be restored using the better-quality footage from recent restorations and released on DVD and/or Blu-Ray. I know many purists would rather have all copies of this version destroyed, but if it weren't for this version, public interest in the film would never have been reignited, and we might not have the restorations we've had in the years since. After all, it was the opening titles of Moroder's version that alerted people to the fact that footage had been removed, plotlines reworked, etc. and that the film we'd known for years was not Lang's original.
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It took me a while to "get" the Coens but that didn't really help me enjoy their movies anymore. They've still made a bunch of crap, with some enjoyable ones sprinkled in-between those. Fargo and Blood Simple were the only ones I've ever cared to re-watch and considering that I've seen all of their films, that's sad.Goliath wrote:I guess I'll never get the Coens.

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I thought Megamind was hilarious. Not even in the same class as "How To Train Your Dragon", but a good movie nonetheless.
Last night we pulled out the one movie that is guaranteed to leave us laughing and that film is Young Frankenstein from the warped mind of Mel Brooks, and starring Gene Wilder, Teri Garr, Marty Feldman, and the lucious Madelyn Kahn. One of three movies in my Blu-ray collection that I cherish very much from the mind of Mel Brooks. The other two are "Robin Hood: Men In Tights" and "Blazing Saddles".

Last night we pulled out the one movie that is guaranteed to leave us laughing and that film is Young Frankenstein from the warped mind of Mel Brooks, and starring Gene Wilder, Teri Garr, Marty Feldman, and the lucious Madelyn Kahn. One of three movies in my Blu-ray collection that I cherish very much from the mind of Mel Brooks. The other two are "Robin Hood: Men In Tights" and "Blazing Saddles".
The only way to watch movies - Original Aspect Ratio!!!!
I LOVE my Blu-Ray Disc Player!
I LOVE my Blu-Ray Disc Player!
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We aren't friends anymore.Goliath wrote:The Big Lebowski
Two hours of my life I'll never get back. It had some good scenes, I got to laugh a couple of times, and it had some funny characters (Walter, the German nihilists) but overall it was all very uninteresting. I guess I'll never get the Coens.
Ah well, at least it had a Bob Dylan song in it ('The Man In Me', New Morning, 1970).
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This next set are movies that appear to have become cult classics fairly recently and I watched them simply to find out why. It’s interesting that these are all movies in which the directors were also the writers, most likely pet projects of theirs, and I’ll assume they were all given compete creative control.
The Boondock Saints (1999) 6.5/10 - kind of a weird movie. The tale of two Irish brothers that are on a mission of God to rid the world of evil. The story mainly has them killing the mafia heads in Boston all in the name of God, becoming these vigilante “saints” (as the papers call them), but the events depicted are just a little too overblown for my tastes (the dialogue that comes out of these characters, ugh). The protagonists are all just a little to 'out there' to really find any connection to or empathize with. Worst of all, most of the characters just really don’t have motivation for what they’re doing (having a single dream where God tells you to fight evil is terrible motivation, as most religious extremists that kill in the name of God have had years of brainwashing or traumatic events to land them there). I just didn’t buy Willem Dafoe’s character switching sides, he wasn’t developed enough for that, and I found myself asking where the motivation for that decision came from (although, he was an interesting character). Just one cardboard character after another, never with more to them then what you see, and usually just there to serve a specific plot point or comedic purpose. The music would also range from wonderful to odd. It was obvious this movie wanted to be nothing more then stylish and entertaining, in which it mostly succeeded. Overall, it had it’s moments of greatness but then it would just get too cliched and sloppy to truly reach it’s potential.
Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998) 7/10 - Guy Ritchie’s feature directorial debut that shows much promise for this newcomer. The first thing you will notice about Guy Ritchie is a very distinctive style and flare that resonates through every feature he has made since. Anyways, the story is that of four boys who are tricked into owing a local gang-boss after loosing a card game. This movie features an enable cast, depicting many characters and separate events that are all intertwined with the four friends, leading to a some pretty unpredictable outcomes. I like the story and how everything is linked together. Unfortunately, not all the characters are as developed as one would like but at least they all serve a purpose and the writing is never dumb. Luckily, these characters are mostly fun and not unreasonably over-the-top; proper motivation is there (unlike the above film). I enjoyed this movie, although, not nearly as much as Ritchie’s next one:
Snatch (2000) 8/10 - I really enjoyed this film. While it shares many similarities in both cast and story to Guy Ritchie’s first outing, they’re both very different films. This one primarily evolves around Jason Statham, a boxing promoter, and the trouble he gets himself into with a dangerous bookie. Once again there is an ensemble cast, depicting many characters and separate events that are all intertwined with the the boxing promoter, leading to a some pretty unpredictable outcomes (unless you’ve seen the last film, then you know the formula). This one is narrated visually, so everything is pretty straight forward, but it makes for some excellent pacing. The characters are all developed, interesting, and motivated. It just seems like an upgraded version of his first film, very enjoyable.
I should also make note that these two Guy Ritchie films are complete sausage fests.
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005) 8/10 - a hidden gem. I really liked this one the most of the bunch. It’s basically a satire of the old 40s film noir, but also good enough to be considered legitimate film noir. As one IMDB review puts it:
“In essence, these are the reasons why you need to see this movie: the razor sharp wit, shockingly fast-paced and hysterical dialogue, pulp-fiction-esquire vibe, its pure cheesiness and the cynicism of a beat up old paperback detective novel. ”
Not only that, but the casting and acting is FANTASTIC. Robert Downey Jr., Val Kilmer, and Michelle Monaghan (seen nude, yes!) deliver great performances as some very endearing characters. I don’t think I’ve ever really liked Val Kilmer as much as I did here (he really had me laughing pretty hard during some scenes). It followed a typical formula for the genre but I don’t think I’ve ever had as much fun watching a noir as I did here. My biggest complaint would probably have to be the ending, even though it’s mocking the mess that is the ‘modern Hollywood ending,’ as it just comes off as pretentious and took me out of the film. It may not be any L.A Confidential, but I sure had a lot of fun watching it.
The Boondock Saints (1999) 6.5/10 - kind of a weird movie. The tale of two Irish brothers that are on a mission of God to rid the world of evil. The story mainly has them killing the mafia heads in Boston all in the name of God, becoming these vigilante “saints” (as the papers call them), but the events depicted are just a little too overblown for my tastes (the dialogue that comes out of these characters, ugh). The protagonists are all just a little to 'out there' to really find any connection to or empathize with. Worst of all, most of the characters just really don’t have motivation for what they’re doing (having a single dream where God tells you to fight evil is terrible motivation, as most religious extremists that kill in the name of God have had years of brainwashing or traumatic events to land them there). I just didn’t buy Willem Dafoe’s character switching sides, he wasn’t developed enough for that, and I found myself asking where the motivation for that decision came from (although, he was an interesting character). Just one cardboard character after another, never with more to them then what you see, and usually just there to serve a specific plot point or comedic purpose. The music would also range from wonderful to odd. It was obvious this movie wanted to be nothing more then stylish and entertaining, in which it mostly succeeded. Overall, it had it’s moments of greatness but then it would just get too cliched and sloppy to truly reach it’s potential.
Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998) 7/10 - Guy Ritchie’s feature directorial debut that shows much promise for this newcomer. The first thing you will notice about Guy Ritchie is a very distinctive style and flare that resonates through every feature he has made since. Anyways, the story is that of four boys who are tricked into owing a local gang-boss after loosing a card game. This movie features an enable cast, depicting many characters and separate events that are all intertwined with the four friends, leading to a some pretty unpredictable outcomes. I like the story and how everything is linked together. Unfortunately, not all the characters are as developed as one would like but at least they all serve a purpose and the writing is never dumb. Luckily, these characters are mostly fun and not unreasonably over-the-top; proper motivation is there (unlike the above film). I enjoyed this movie, although, not nearly as much as Ritchie’s next one:
Snatch (2000) 8/10 - I really enjoyed this film. While it shares many similarities in both cast and story to Guy Ritchie’s first outing, they’re both very different films. This one primarily evolves around Jason Statham, a boxing promoter, and the trouble he gets himself into with a dangerous bookie. Once again there is an ensemble cast, depicting many characters and separate events that are all intertwined with the the boxing promoter, leading to a some pretty unpredictable outcomes (unless you’ve seen the last film, then you know the formula). This one is narrated visually, so everything is pretty straight forward, but it makes for some excellent pacing. The characters are all developed, interesting, and motivated. It just seems like an upgraded version of his first film, very enjoyable.
I should also make note that these two Guy Ritchie films are complete sausage fests.
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005) 8/10 - a hidden gem. I really liked this one the most of the bunch. It’s basically a satire of the old 40s film noir, but also good enough to be considered legitimate film noir. As one IMDB review puts it:
“In essence, these are the reasons why you need to see this movie: the razor sharp wit, shockingly fast-paced and hysterical dialogue, pulp-fiction-esquire vibe, its pure cheesiness and the cynicism of a beat up old paperback detective novel. ”
Not only that, but the casting and acting is FANTASTIC. Robert Downey Jr., Val Kilmer, and Michelle Monaghan (seen nude, yes!) deliver great performances as some very endearing characters. I don’t think I’ve ever really liked Val Kilmer as much as I did here (he really had me laughing pretty hard during some scenes). It followed a typical formula for the genre but I don’t think I’ve ever had as much fun watching a noir as I did here. My biggest complaint would probably have to be the ending, even though it’s mocking the mess that is the ‘modern Hollywood ending,’ as it just comes off as pretentious and took me out of the film. It may not be any L.A Confidential, but I sure had a lot of fun watching it.

Megamind
I really enjoyed this movie! Yeah, it is extremely unoriginal and very derivative of the whole super hero genre. But I feel the characters really carry the movie through its successful completion, and the action sequences and clever tributes to other movies were great as well.
I would say Megamind has the best cast of voice actors yet. Brad Pitt was definitely underused as Metroman, but he sounded great. Will Ferrell as Megamind was enjoyable and may be my favorite Ferrell role at the moment. Tina Fey as Roxie was fun and definitely had the best lines in the movie ("Girls, girls the both of you are pretty, can I go home now?).
So yeah, Dreamworks had three winners in my book
I really enjoyed this movie! Yeah, it is extremely unoriginal and very derivative of the whole super hero genre. But I feel the characters really carry the movie through its successful completion, and the action sequences and clever tributes to other movies were great as well.
I would say Megamind has the best cast of voice actors yet. Brad Pitt was definitely underused as Metroman, but he sounded great. Will Ferrell as Megamind was enjoyable and may be my favorite Ferrell role at the moment. Tina Fey as Roxie was fun and definitely had the best lines in the movie ("Girls, girls the both of you are pretty, can I go home now?).
So yeah, Dreamworks had three winners in my book
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The Bridges of Madison County - 9/10
While channel surfing I stumbled upon TCM and they were showing The Bridges of Madison County, I hadn't seen it before, but I knew Meryl Streep was nominated for an Oscar for her performance -and Clint Eastwood was in it- so surely it couldn't be a bad movie. It actually was a really good movie, albeit not something I would watch regularly since romance/drama isn't really a genre I favour, but it was still very good -much better than I expected. The pacing was great, didn't feel bored throughout the entire thing. The scenery was nice too, knowing that it was shot at the actual location adds a lot to my overall appreciation. The acting was great, and the Oscar nomination for Meryl Streep was well deserved. Lots of 'man' tears at the ending though, damn you Clint Eastwood for making me choke up again, it's like Million Dollar Baby all over again.
Recommended.
While channel surfing I stumbled upon TCM and they were showing The Bridges of Madison County, I hadn't seen it before, but I knew Meryl Streep was nominated for an Oscar for her performance -and Clint Eastwood was in it- so surely it couldn't be a bad movie. It actually was a really good movie, albeit not something I would watch regularly since romance/drama isn't really a genre I favour, but it was still very good -much better than I expected. The pacing was great, didn't feel bored throughout the entire thing. The scenery was nice too, knowing that it was shot at the actual location adds a lot to my overall appreciation. The acting was great, and the Oscar nomination for Meryl Streep was well deserved. Lots of 'man' tears at the ending though, damn you Clint Eastwood for making me choke up again, it's like Million Dollar Baby all over again.
Recommended.
The Thief and the Cobbler (2006 Recobbled Version)
Richard Williams spent an insane amount of time on this project. So insane, that it had to be finished without him. This unoffical cut is the closest existing form to the director's original vision.
GAC animators Ken Harris, Art Babbit, Emery Hawkins, and Grim Natwick had a hand in this, but all died before seeing the fruit of their labors. Even Richard's son Alex, born after production had started, worked on this.
Richard Williams spent an insane amount of time on this project. So insane, that it had to be finished without him. This unoffical cut is the closest existing form to the director's original vision.
GAC animators Ken Harris, Art Babbit, Emery Hawkins, and Grim Natwick had a hand in this, but all died before seeing the fruit of their labors. Even Richard's son Alex, born after production had started, worked on this.
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Blood work (2002)
Horrible film starring Clint Eastwood. It's a clichéd story about a retired FBI agent who wants to catch a serial killer, and he picks up all these obvious clues that 100 police detectives never noticed. All done in a very standard way, accompanied by wooden acting by everyone involved, even Eastwood himself.
Horrible film starring Clint Eastwood. It's a clichéd story about a retired FBI agent who wants to catch a serial killer, and he picks up all these obvious clues that 100 police detectives never noticed. All done in a very standard way, accompanied by wooden acting by everyone involved, even Eastwood himself.
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I decided to play catchup on the DC animated projects that have happened since Batman: Under the Red Hood. This left me watching one DTV feature and four shorts. I started with the feature:
Superman/Batman: Apocalypse (2010) 6/10 - this is basically the telling of Kara's (aka Supergirl) origin, with some mundane plot featuring Darkseid antagonizing in the same damn way he always does. All I can say is I'm disappointed. I thought Batman: Under the Red Hood was a step in the right direction but they went right back to mediocrity. In all honestly, the only real thing they did right was getting Kevin Conroy and Tim Daly back in their roles.
These next four are the shorts that were all part of a collection known as DC Showcase. All four were directed by Joaquim Dos Santos, who's known for directing most of the Justice League and Avatar: The Last Airbender episodes. Being a fan of both shows, my expectations were high.
The Spectre (2010) 6.5 - now this one was just weird. It felt like they were going for a 70s film noir feel with some grindhouse influence. I know nothing about The Spectre, I actually never heard of him until this short. The character presented here is one-dimensional, who felt like a combination of Ghost Rider and The Punister, with vengeance being the only thing on his mind. Some interesting concepts are presented but I just didn't care about generic murder mystery plot or cardboard characters.
Jonah Hex (2010) 7/10 - once again, before the live action movie was announced, I had never heard of this character. Since the live action movie was trashed by just about everyone, I skipped it in favor of this short, which was pretty well received. Overall, I liked it and would actually like to see more. The plot wasn't anything special but Hex was an interesting protagonist and I'd like to see further shorts.
Green Arrow (2010) 7.5/10- I really liked this one. Having watched Justice League, I am very familiar with the character. A character who I initially hated, thanks in part to his goofy looking costume and terrible special ability (shooting arrows, what a concept, facepalm), I always considered him to the embarrassing version of Batman (rich men with gadgets). After a few episodes with him and Black Canary, I ended up liking this goofy looking character (when characters on that show got individual episodes, you tended to end up liking them at the end). Anyways, this short is basically a long action sequence with little in the way of character development but if you already know the characters featured here (it seemed like it was written for fans of Justice League) you get more out of it. BTW, this short was written by Greg Weisman (known for creating Gargoyles and leading The Spectacular Spider-Man). Hopefully this short gives us an idea of where his next show, Young Justice, will be heading. Considering Greg Weisman and Brandon Vietti (director of Batman: Under the Red Hood) are leading the show, Young Justice, I have high expectations.
Superman/Shazam!: The Return of Black Adam (2010) 6/10 - I also previously knew this character from Justice League but never knew his origin. All I can say is, I'm disappointed. I think I was better off not knowing the origin as all the magic and wizards (as presented here) is just a little too out there for me. Part of what bothered me was half of this short just being a long-drawn out fight scene (which is long, considering this short is 25 minutes in length, with the other three only clocking in around 10 minutes). I also saw no point of having Superman in this, as the whole story could've been told without him. Lastly, Kevin Michael Richardson's voice pissed me off as always. Is he the ambassador of black people or what? It seems like he's the only person ever cast to play black people in animation, with his horrible over-the-top characterization, which is just too much for me. Why can't a black person sound like a real person and not like some crazy cartoon stereotype?
Superman/Batman: Apocalypse (2010) 6/10 - this is basically the telling of Kara's (aka Supergirl) origin, with some mundane plot featuring Darkseid antagonizing in the same damn way he always does. All I can say is I'm disappointed. I thought Batman: Under the Red Hood was a step in the right direction but they went right back to mediocrity. In all honestly, the only real thing they did right was getting Kevin Conroy and Tim Daly back in their roles.
These next four are the shorts that were all part of a collection known as DC Showcase. All four were directed by Joaquim Dos Santos, who's known for directing most of the Justice League and Avatar: The Last Airbender episodes. Being a fan of both shows, my expectations were high.
The Spectre (2010) 6.5 - now this one was just weird. It felt like they were going for a 70s film noir feel with some grindhouse influence. I know nothing about The Spectre, I actually never heard of him until this short. The character presented here is one-dimensional, who felt like a combination of Ghost Rider and The Punister, with vengeance being the only thing on his mind. Some interesting concepts are presented but I just didn't care about generic murder mystery plot or cardboard characters.
Jonah Hex (2010) 7/10 - once again, before the live action movie was announced, I had never heard of this character. Since the live action movie was trashed by just about everyone, I skipped it in favor of this short, which was pretty well received. Overall, I liked it and would actually like to see more. The plot wasn't anything special but Hex was an interesting protagonist and I'd like to see further shorts.
Green Arrow (2010) 7.5/10- I really liked this one. Having watched Justice League, I am very familiar with the character. A character who I initially hated, thanks in part to his goofy looking costume and terrible special ability (shooting arrows, what a concept, facepalm), I always considered him to the embarrassing version of Batman (rich men with gadgets). After a few episodes with him and Black Canary, I ended up liking this goofy looking character (when characters on that show got individual episodes, you tended to end up liking them at the end). Anyways, this short is basically a long action sequence with little in the way of character development but if you already know the characters featured here (it seemed like it was written for fans of Justice League) you get more out of it. BTW, this short was written by Greg Weisman (known for creating Gargoyles and leading The Spectacular Spider-Man). Hopefully this short gives us an idea of where his next show, Young Justice, will be heading. Considering Greg Weisman and Brandon Vietti (director of Batman: Under the Red Hood) are leading the show, Young Justice, I have high expectations.
Superman/Shazam!: The Return of Black Adam (2010) 6/10 - I also previously knew this character from Justice League but never knew his origin. All I can say is, I'm disappointed. I think I was better off not knowing the origin as all the magic and wizards (as presented here) is just a little too out there for me. Part of what bothered me was half of this short just being a long-drawn out fight scene (which is long, considering this short is 25 minutes in length, with the other three only clocking in around 10 minutes). I also saw no point of having Superman in this, as the whole story could've been told without him. Lastly, Kevin Michael Richardson's voice pissed me off as always. Is he the ambassador of black people or what? It seems like he's the only person ever cast to play black people in animation, with his horrible over-the-top characterization, which is just too much for me. Why can't a black person sound like a real person and not like some crazy cartoon stereotype?

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