Tag: Zack Snyder

DC Comics, Movies

The Red Capes Are Coming: A Batman v Superman Retrospective

One year ago, history was made when Batman v Superman: Dawn of Wonder Woman Justice opened in theaters.

Why is this a cinematic milestone?

For the first time in history, the Man of Steel, the Caped Crusader, and the Amazon appeared together in a live action story. This is of monumental importance because not only are these iconic heroes the flagship franchises of DC Comics, they are also the cornerstones of western media and western culture.

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DC Comics, Movies

Forget the DCEU: Warner Brothers Should Embrace the Multiverse

It has not been a great couple of weeks (years?) on the DC Films front.

After Dawn of Justice and Suicide Squad failed to live up to most people’s expectations last summer, Warner Brothers looked like it was starting to right the DCEU ship. Triumphant teasers for Wonder Woman and Justice League made DC the talk of San Diego, and fans were stoked for directors like James Wan, Rick Famuyiwa, and Ben Affleck to lend their visions to DC supeheroes. Well, less than a year later, 60% of those directors have been dropped and now, Ben (maybe?) doesn’t even want to be Batman anymore. And in the most WTF move yet, Warner has approached an actual misogynst, anti-semitic racist to helm a movie with the initials S.S.!

But, taking a page from Vulture’s always awesome , maybe Warner Bros. can use the chaos surrounding the DCEU as an opportunity… to blow up the whole damn thing.

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DC Comics, Movies

How to Reboot Lex and Joker in the DCEU

It goes without saying that I haven’t been the biggest fan of Warner Brothers’ approach to the films based on their roster of DC Comics superheroes (also known as the DC Extended Universe). Even before Batman v Superman or Suicide Squad debuted to less-than-enthusiastic reviews, I went on record being against the DCEU’s tone and aesthetic. After BvS failed to become the pop cultural behemoth it was supposed to be, the folks at DC Films attempted a much publicized “course correction” to take their movie universe in a different direction — and if the Comic-Con trailers for Wonder Woman and Justice League are any indication, consider me all in for this new “course.” But as much as I’m looking forward to this new phase of the DCEU, I will never be satisfied until they recast the two characters I feel they’ve bungled the most: Lex Luthor and the Joker.

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DC Comics, Movies

Daniel José Older v Batman v Superman

[Ed. note: Over the weekend, our own Daniel José Older found himself on a plane with nothing to do but watch Batman v Superman (which is now available digitally and will be released on blu-ray in two weeks). His tweet thoughts have been collected below. Enjoy.]

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DC Comics, Movies

Superman: Seeing Double (Standards)

So last weekend Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice hit theaters and proved to be a box office hit. For those who want my thoughts on the film, you can read about them here and here. As was the case with Man of Steel, it seems very fashionable to snark on BvS and the DC Cinematic Universe in general. My theory is that the Marvel films are shiny new toys by comparison to the DC franchises.

This isn’t to say that DC and parent company Warner Brothers are above critique. They aren’t. Neither is Marvel and parent company Disney. I both enjoy and take both companies to task for different reasons when it comes to their comics and films. However, not all of the major complaints have been as valid and they definitely illustrate a double standard at play when it comes to Superman specifically.

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DC Comics, Movies

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Confirmation Bias

I’m examining Batman v Superman from the perspective of the ridiculous and (not) unprecedented fan “outrage” and critical overreaction.

First thing, let’s take a look at the phrase “confirmation bias.” Here’s the definition:

Confirmation bias, also called confirmatory bias or myside bias, is the tendency to search for, interpret, favor, and recall information in a way that confirms one’s beliefs or hypotheses, while giving disproportionately less consideration to alternative possibilities.

Simply put, if people desperately wish to cling onto or believe in a certain conclusion, there’s nothing in the universe that can change their mind. They will not entertain — nor have the ability to entertain — anything that falls outside of their way of thinking.

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DC Comics, Movies

There’s Nothing Heroic about Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice

So here are my thoughts on Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. I wanted to wait, but I couldn’t. Feel free to discuss and debate. I look forward to it.

This movie overall was… fine. A strong 7, perhaps add a 0.5. You could see where the studio rushed to cobble the Justice League together, and elude to the fact that, perhaps, there was once a Robin. I have to admit that Ben Affleck made a very good Batman. The Bat was brutal, and the fight scenes were enjoyable.

So, if you haven’t seen it, go ahead. If you have skittish children, keep them home. For a DC cinematic effort, it’s like most that have come before, with the sole exception that there was one that one “hero” on display. And that is where my issues lie.

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DC Comics, Movies

Things Other Movies Did Better Than Batman v Superman

I didn’t hate Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. I walked into the theater last night fully expecting to hate it. Two and a half hours later, I ended up merely not liking it. That’s progress, I guess?

That said, there were a couple things I actually liked (most having to do with Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman) and I can’t deny that Ben Affleck looks like Batman (even though he sure doesn’t act like him). But the thing that distracted me throughout the movie was the fact that it contained a lot of elements that were executed better in other live action adaptations.

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DC Comics, Movies

The Epic Failure of Batman v Superman

Before I begin this review, I want you all to watch this clip from Man of Steel.

I remembered watching that scene from that film and actually yelling out loud how incredibly stupid and unnecessarily melodramatic that was.

That’s exactly how I felt after watching Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.

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DC Comics, Hard N.O.C. Life, Movies

BLK x NOC Preview Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice

UPDATE: Part 2 of our BvS podcast crossover with BLKBOARD is available here!

We’re now only a few days away from the worldwide launch of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. Before the movie comes out, this special edition of Hard NOC Life — also available on iTunes and Soundcloud — invites the founders of the new website and podcast BLKBOARD, Jermaine Dickerson and Michael Tré, to discuss the launch of the DC Cinematic Universe.

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