Miller & Rodriguez on Sin City

Frank Miller's Sin City directed by Robert Rodriguez! Man, that news is just too good to be true.

Frank Miller's a genius. Daredevil... Ronin... The Dark Knight Returns... 300... and my personal favorite, his Sin City series.

Robert Rodriguez is the man behind El Mariachi, Desparado, Once Upon a Time in Mexico and the Spy Kids Series... 1, 2 and 3D.

Now Rodriguez is teaming with Miller to bring Sin City to the big screen. And when I say, "teaming," I mean as co-directors.

According to Harry at Ain't It Cool News the screenplay will pull from Sin City, That Yellow Bastard, The Big Fat Kill and possibly Booze, Broads & Bullets.

The only thing cooler than that is how Miller and Rodriguez got together.

The Bride is Back

After seeing "Kill Bill" I left disappointed.

I felt that the hospital scene was excessively gross... even for a movie which thrived on excess and went down from there.

Yet, I will probably return to see the conclusion in Kill Bill 2.

I've heard that it is more like Tarantino's other films. I sure hope so.

Well... if it's half as good as the latest advance poster, then I'll leave happy.

[For a larger look, click HERE.]

New Punisher Trailer

A new trailer for The Punisher is online.

I think that the movie will probably do okay at the box office...
but it could go either way.

If the younger crowd gets behind it, it could do pretty well. If the reviews are good and it's advertised to reach the baby boomers, it'll do even better.

But it could just as easily sink. I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

The Rock is Walking Tall

One of the biggest suprises to hit Hollywood in recent years is Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson.

The Rock took a bit part in The Mummy and in just a small role showed an amazing amount of screen presence and charisma. Last year's The Rundown was one of my favorite movies of the year. It had just the right blend of action and drama.

Next up for The Rock is Walking Tall, which I have to admit sounded like a bad idea to me. I did change my opinion after seeing the trailer. The Walking Tall web site is now open. Look around and see what you think.

Old vs New Dawn

That's the new Dawn of the Dead poster above and the original below.

I guess the new one is scarier but I still love the look of the old one.

The real question is will the new movie be as good as the original?

Mel Gibson, the Man

I've always liked Mel Gibson. I'm talking about Mel Gibson, the actor.

Gibson could have went the easy route after the runaway worldwide success of The Road Warrior. But he didn't. Instead he took chances... movies like Hamlet, The River, and The Year of Living Dangerously.

Then Mel Gibson, the actor, took an even bigger chance and became Mel Gibson the director. He soared to even greater heights with Braveheart and The Patriot. Gibson hedged his bets somewhat since he was the star of both of these megahits. But with The Passion of Christ he has put it all on the line.

Gibson co-wrote, directed and funded [to the tune of $30 million or more of his own money] The Passion of Christ. The movie is subtitled since the actors speak the original languages. And Gibson's face never appears on screen. Talk about taking chances. All of this has added to my admiration of Mel Gibson.

Last night after watching his interview on ABC's Primetime I was even more impressed. Gibson spoke openly and honestly about his crisis of faith and how his beliefs have saved... even redeemed him. He answered the charges that he was anti-Semitic. And he refused to answer anything about his father other than to say that he loved him. Mel says that message of The Passion of Christ is "faith, hope, love and forgiveness." It was refreshing to see a celebrity be so open and revealing. And while I may not believe everything in the same way as Mel I can honestly say that I've never liked him more.

I'm talking about Mel Gibson, the man.

30 & Dark Days

30 Days of Night was one of the best vampire stories in any medium in recent years. The fact that it was done in a comic made it all the more impressive.

I mean, how many people pay attention to comic books? [Thankfully the number seems to be on the upswing.]

Steve Niles then followed up 30 Days of Night with the sequel Dark Days. Surprisingly [well, not so surprisingly if you follow Niles' writing], it didn't seem like a forced sequel. And it was good, really good.

If you missed out on it, or if like me, you like a trade edition for the bookshelf, then click HERE.

Red Rocks

While we're on the subject of cool comics, Red / Tokyo Storm Warning is another trade paperback that you may want to check out.

Red / Tokyo Storm Warning is actually two comic book comic mini-series for the price of one, both written by fan favorite Warren Ellis.

Red alone is worth the price of admission. Drawn by Cully Hamner [check out his take on Sly!], Red is the story of retired CIA assassin Paul Moses who finds himself the target of a hit... by his own government! This would make a great movie and you just know who I'd love to see play Moses.

Tokyo Storm Warning [drawn by James Raiz and Andrew Currie] imagines a world where Tokyo, not Hiroshima, was nuked in WWII. Now American test pilot Zoe Flynn must help turn the tide against massive monsters!

Coming soon to a comic shop near you... or better yet place your pre-order HERE!

Get Your Goon On!

Without a doubt one of the most enjoyable comics going today is Eric Powell's The Goon.

Dark Horse says The Goon "is a hilarious blend of pulpy horror and slapstick comedy following the ongoing misadventures of the man they call the Goon and his spastic sidekick Franky as they battle the legions of the undead!" Yeah, that pretty much sums it up!

I've been buying and loving the Goon since it was a little self-published comic. Now that it's one of the most popular comics going today, I'm still pumping it up. Although I've posted this link before, here it is again in case you missed it... read The Goon #1 for free by clicking HERE.

Then if you're so inclined check out the first and second trade paperback and here's a link for the third which is just now being pre-ordered. [That's the cover for it to the left.]

More About Mel

The last ZONE piece that I did on Mel Gibson brought in a lot of e-mail, so I thought that many of you would be interested in another Mel Gibson update.

Mel is featured on the cover and is the subject of a lengthy article in the latest issue of Entertainment Weekly. Mel will also sit for an interview that will air on ABC's Monday "Primetime." Mel also has an interview in the March issue of Reader's Digest. You can read excerpts HERE.

Finally, the Ransom Special Edition dvd will be released on March 23rd. It'll have a commentary track by director Ron Howard, extensive deleted scenes, a "What Would You Do" making-of featurette, and more.

If you have a passion [sorry, I couldn't resist] for Mel Gibson movies, then February and March are going to be a lot of fun!

Rundown and Get a Copy

The Rundown, one of my favorite movies last year, will be out on dvd on March 23rd. Presented in a widescreen anamorphic format, it'll contain deleted scenes, featurettes and more.

The Rundown had a great mix of action, comedy and adventure. On the 23rd you ought to Rundown and check out a copy!

"The Rundown" rates an A

New DOTD Pics

The new Dawn of the Dead premieres on March 19th and he buzz just keeps getting better and better.

JoBlo just posted several new pics from the movie and I'm more jazzed than ever for it.

Take a look at 'em at see what you think.

Gibson's Passion

I've been a Mel Gibson fan since I first saw The Road Warrior at a drive-in movie theater over twenty years ago. It's been cool following Mel's career... and even cooler to discover what a talented director he is. Braveheart and Lethal Weapon are two of my all-time favorite movies.

Mel's been taking a lot of heat for his latest movie, The Passion of Christ, but I have a feeling that, while it may not be a crowd-pleaser on the level of The Patriot, it is going to be very well done, moving and impressive.

If you want to read what Mel has to say in an interview posted at Dark Horizons then click HERE.

Everybody Loves Hellboy

Everyone loves Hellboy. What's not to love?

He's one of the coolest characters in comics. Each mini-series is always highly anticipated and then goes on to become a best selling trade paperback. Hellboy short story collections and the art of Hellboy books have been winners as well.

But could Hellboy be made into a good movie?

If you believe what Nick over at Chud has to say, then the answer is a resounding, "YES!"

But I'm not surprised because everyone loves Hellboy!

The Kennedy Assassination

I've always been interested in The Kennedy Assassination. I've followed the different theories from a single gunman to Cuban assassins sent by Castro, to the CIA, or the Mafia, to even someone in the limo shooting President Kennedy.

I've come to believe that Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone, but my mind is still open. One of the most intriguing theories was that Vice President Johnson was somehow involved in the assassination of President Kennedy.

The History Channel has assembled a panel of historians to "examine the credibility" of theories. The results of their study will become the basis of a History Channel Special which will premiere later this year.

And while I doubt there will be any definitive answers, I am sure I'll tune in.

Walking Dead Interview

Without a doubt, my current favorite comic is The Walking Dead. I've been singing its praises since the first issue. Robert Kirkman [writer] and Tony Moore [artist] are a great team.

If you want to know more about The Walking Dead, check out this interview with Tony Moore.

You may then want to find a source for all of the comics. You probably won't find any first printings since each issue is selling out despite printing more!

But don't buy it because it's a hot title, buy it because it's a great read!

Eye on I

Although it's not yet on my "must see" list, I'm keeping my eye on I, Robot which stars Wil [Bad Boys II] Smith and is directed by Alex [The Crow] Proyas.

It's, of course, based on the classic Isaac Asimov story of the same name. Dark Horizons has posted several new pics from the film HERE.

Cast for Assualt Named

On January 27th I posted that talks were underway to re-make John Carpenter's classic Assault on Precinct 13. According to The Hollywood Reporter and JoBlo.com, Ethan Hawke and Laurence Fishburne have signed on to co-star in the retelling.

This is interesting casting. Ethan Hawke surprised me with his excellent performance in Training Day.

It'll be interesting to see how Fishburne plays the cool, ruthless killer Napoleon Wilson [a character that I would have loved to see Sylvester Stallone take a shot at].

Cool Pics Tomorrow

The Day After Tomorrow is one of the movies that I'm really looking forward to based mainly on the cool trailer.

This can be dangerous, because many times movies fail to live up to their trailers.

Empiremovies.com has posted some cool pics which give us additional hope that the movie will not let us down!

Troy's Official Site

Troy's official website has opened up a flash section with a ton of photos, cast bios and info to get you up to speed on Homer's The Iliad [which is the basis for Troy].

Wolfgang Peterson has directed some of my favorite movies [In the Line of Fire, Shattered] and I have hopes that Troy will join that list!

Drew Struzan's Hellboy

They just don't make movie posters like they used to.

Drew Struzan is the king of movie posters. Drew is so good that sometimes his posters are even better than the movies he makes them for!

Well, can you guess who created the movie poster for Hellboy? That's right, Drew did! In fact the picture to the left is a small version of it. If you want to see the larger version then head over to Chud.com.

But before you go, let me give you the bad news. The Drew poster will NOT be the official poster for Hellboy. Seems the people in charge of promoting the film decided that the photo poster is better.

Man, they just don't make movie posters like they used to... or maybe it's just that they don't use them.

Season Ends for Playmakers

If you were in charge of programing and had a new show that not only received critical praise, but also drew in five times the number of viewers than the network had during the previous year, what would you do?

Let me make it easy. I'll give you three choices...
Would you A] Celebrate B] Give everyone a raise C] Cancel the show

If you answered C, you'd be right.

ESPN just cancelled Playmakers which was critically praised and did indeed bring in five times the number of viewers. Playmakers wasn't just one of the best shows on ESPN, it was one of the best shows on TV. Period.

I'm hoping that another cable channel will pick it up. If not, I wish everyone who worked on it the best... because their work on the show was.

Con Man's Daughter

I think I've found a great character for Sly to bring to the big screen!

Ed Dee Dee introduces ex-cop, ex-prize-fighter Eddie "God help me... I love a brawl" Dunn in his latest novel, The Con Man's Daughter.

Dunn was a decorated NY City Detective who was forced to resign in disgrace and then worked for a Russian mobster. Now in his mid-50's and retired, Dunn must return to the mean streets of New York and go toe to toe with a variety of the worst that the city has to offer in order to save his kidnapped daughter.

If you like hard boiled heroes and stories that keep you guessing, then this one is for you... and Sly!

Sky Captain Set Visit

The second part of Chud.com's on set visit for Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow is up and it's a great read.

Man, I can' t wait to see this movie!

Kurt Russell's Miracle

I think that Kurt Russell is one of the most under-rated actors in Hollywood.

I loved him as Snake Plisken in Escape From New York and Escape From LA.

And while not every Kurt Russell movie has been a favorite, I can truly say that even the bad ones have been made better because of him.

Kurt's latest is Miracle.

And while it's not high on my must-see list, I did enjoy this interview with Kurt brought to us by the good folks at JoBlo.com.

The Potential of Troy

Another movie that I'm really looking forward to is Troy.

It's a classic story that I loved as a kid and recently re-discovered as I helped my son with some Greek mythology assignments.

Wolfgang Peterson is the director. Brad Pitt and Orlando Bloom star. Sounds like a team that could put some people in the seats.

Still not convinced? Check out the trailer and then tell me what ya think!

Van Helsing: Lookin' Good

Van Helsing is a movie that has a lot of potential. Any movie that has Frankenstein, the Wolfman, and Dracula has to be pretty good, right? Right.

The Van Helsing Super Bowl ad didn't do anything to change my opinion. You can see it HERE and see if it changes yours.

An Exciting Superbowl

Well, it was an exciting Superbowl.

Despite the fact that last night's victory by the New England Patriots over the Carolina Panthers, was one of the best Super Bowl games ever, more people are talking about the half time antics than the game itself.

At the end of the half time performances, Justin Timberlake pulled off part of Janet Jackson's costume exposing her breast. The NFL is upset. Both CBS, and MTV have issued apologies. Justin Timberlake called it a "wardrobe malfunction."

Whatever.

At least it wasn't as bad as the guy who made it down on the field, stripped off all of his clothes and began to dance. He than ran around as security attempted to catch him. Patriots linebacker Matt Chatham did was he does best and tackled the streaker who was then taken away by security personnel.

Well, it was an exciting Super Bowl... and the game was pretty good too!

Survivor All-Stars

While the majority of the world is looking forward to the Super Bowl [myself included], there is another sporting event today which pits the very best competitors against each other.

That's right, Survivor All Stars premieres tonight after the Super Bowl.

It's a Zablo family event each week to gather around the tube and cheer for our favorite competitors. Often we don't agree on who we want to win... but I'm willing to bet that this time we'll all be pulling for Rupert.

Now if I could just get Big Beatty to take the Panthers even...

Sky Captain Interview

If. like me, you're really looking forward to the release of Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow, then you'll probably really enjoy this on set visit and interview with producer Jon Avnet from the good folks at Chud.com.

Have a Nice Day!

Isn't that the coolest design? My buddy, John Beatty created it.

John's best known for his comic book inking which he's been doing professionally since he was a teenager. And although John still does art for comics, in the last few years he's been branching out into web design, computer graphics, and t-shirt design.

John has worked out a deal with a buddy of his who prints t-shirts so that he'll be able to offer his BigBeatty.com "Have a Nice Day" shirt at conventions this year for just five bucks!! I'm hoping that John will eventually offer it through the mail for fans who can't get to a show. That design is just too cool not to make it available to fans everywhere!

That Cat's a Mess

The buzz on the Halle Berry "Catwoman" movie has been bad.

After seeing Halle's Catwoman outfit I can understand why.

It just doesn't look right. Note I didn't say "good."

Halle Berry could make a burlap sack look good.

After seeing this video clip of Halle as Catwoman... I'm starting to reconsider my thoughts on the outfit... and the movie.

Space Ghost Updated

When I was a kid I enjoyed Space Ghost. Even though he hung out with two kids and a space monkey... he was cool.

If you feel the same way, you might want to read this interview which discusses how DC plans to update Space Ghost in a new comic series. Joe Kelly, who's writing the series, says, "It’s really a hardcore, pulp-feel story, with him being betrayed by the police force and taking his revenge. It’s really dark, and it’s going to be a blueprint for them to revamp the character and keep it going.”

Want to know more? The click HERE.

American Flagg is Back, Baby!

After nearly two decades out of print, a collected edition of Howard Chaykin’s American Flagg! series is finally coming!

American Flagg was originally published in 1983 by First Comics and was an instant hit! This new, definitive edition is currently planned for a late June or early July release. It will include the first six issues of the series, as well as new art and materials from the creator.

For full details click HERE. This was one great series and I'm looking forward to the collected editions!

Yikes!

James Brown, the 70 year old Godfather of Soul, was arrested today and charged with criminal domestic violence after he allegedly pushed his wife to the floor during an argument. Tomi Rae Brown, 33, had scratches and bruises to her right arm and hip and was taken to a hospital.

Brown served a 2 1/2-year prison term after a 1988 arrest on drug and assault charges and was convicted of a drug-related offense in 1998. He was granted a state pardon in May.

No R. Kelly MJ Team-UP

You just know that Leno and Letterman are going to have a field day with this one...

A judge has ordered R. Kelly , who is awaiting trial on child pornography charges, to stay away from Michael The King of Pop Jackson who is facing child molestation charges when Kelly attends the Grammy awards next month!

I guess neither should plan to sit next to Lil Romeo.

Mignola Talks Hellboy

Chud.com has a nice little interview with Hellboy creator Mike Mignola. Mike talks about a lot of different projects with an emphasis on the soon to be released Hellboy movie.

If you're wondering how close the movie will follow the comic, wonder no more.

Mike says, "The fact that it’s as close to the comic as it is and the fact that the personality of the main character is so close to the comic, it’s beyond anything I ever imagined."

That's just great news for Hellboy fans everywhere. To read the full interview click HERE.

Time for a New Assault

Dark Horizons reported today that "French director Jean-Francois Richet will helm the remake of the John Carpenter classic... Assault on Precinct 13... which starts filming April.

Assault on Precinct 13 is one of my favorite John Carpenter films. I don't know much about Jean-Francois Richet, but as long as he doesn't stray from Carpenter's screenplay and they don't screw it up in casting, it can't go wrong.

Academy Award Predictions

Nominations for the 76th Academy Awards were announced today. Here are the nominees for the major categories and my predictions on who will win...

Best Picture: “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” / “Lost in Translation” / "Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World” / “Mystic River” / “Seabiscuit”
My prediction: Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

Best Animated Feature: “Brother Bear” / “Finding Nemo” / “The Triplets of Belleville”
My prediction: Finding Nemo

Leading Actor: Johnny Depp in "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl" / Ben Kingsley in "House of Sand and Fog" / Jude Law in "Cold Mountain"/ Bill Murray in "Lost in Translation" / Sean Penn in "Mystic River"
My prediction: Bill Murray

Leading Actress: Keisha Castle-Hughes in "Whale Rider" / Diane Keaton in "Something's Gotta Give" / Samantha Morton in "In America" / Charlize Theron in "Monster" / Naomi Watts in "21 Grams"
My prediction: Charlize Theron

Directing: "City of God" Fernando Meirelles / "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" Peter Jackson / "Lost in Translation" Sofia Coppola / "Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World" Peter Weir / "Mystic River" Clint Eastwood
My prediction: Peter Jackson

Best Supporting Actor: Alec Baldwin "The Cooler" / Benicio Del Toro "21 Grams" / Djimon Hounsou "In America" / Tim Robbins "Mystic River" / Ken Watanabe "The Last Samurai"
My prediction: Tim Robbins

Best Supporting Actress: Shohreh Aghdashloo "House of Sand and Fog" / Patricia Clarkson "Pieces of April" / Marcia Gay Harden "Mystic River" / Holly Hunter "Thirteen" / Renée Zellweger "Cold Mountain"
My prediction: Renée Zellweger

Original Screenplay: The Barbarian Invasions" Denys Arcand / "Dirty Pretty Things" Steven Knight / "Finding Nemo" Andrew Stanton, Bob Peterson and David Reynolds Original Story by Andrew Stanton / "In America" Jim Sheridan & Naomi Sheridan & Kirsten Sheridan / "Lost in Translation" Sofia Coppola
My prediction: Sofia Coppola

As I said, these are just my predictions and not in every case the person that I would like to see win. The Academy Awards will be presented on February 29th... tune in and find out who wins and how good of a guesser I really am!

Shield Too

The Shield doesn't premiere until March. Like I told you here, that really disappoints me. The Shield is one of my favorite if not my very favorite tv shows going.

The good news is that at the same time the third season premieres, a new comic based on The Shield will also premiere. Jeff Mariotte, the writer, promises that like the tv show, the comic will be "a bit edgy, a bit dark..." and will stretch "the boundaries of its medium." If you'd like to read the full interview and see a few preview pages, then click HERE.

I've pre-ordered my copy and I'm hoping that it lives up to the hype... or at least the tv show on which it's based.

Tomorrw a Good Day?

The Day After Tomorrow is one of those movies that is tough to judge based on advance materials.

The trailer makes it look good... but then maybe we're seeing all of the best parts that the movie has to offer.

I hope not... and the fact that five new and very cool looking stills have turned up at ComingSoon makes my hopes rise even more.

Blade 3 Stock Rises

Blade 3 Trinity has a 50-50 chance of being really good.

I say this partly because I didn't care for Blade, but loved Blade 2. This will be the third director for the third movie.

At least Wesley Snipes keeps coming back. Chud.com has a couple of new pics from Blade 3 that you can see here.

After seeing the pics I think Blade 3's odds have risen to 55 - 45. ; )

Term Ends for Boston Public?

I have to admit that I felt it coming... This may be the last season for Boston Public. Although this season wasn't as strong as past seasons, I had hope that things would improve. According to this report that won't have a chance to happen.

Big Beatty said that the show had jumped the shark with "the hook lady." I think it was when Jeri Ryan was made an assistant principal... and a guidance counselor.

Oh well...

I Reckon We're on to Something

I love it when a movie comes out of left field and surprises me.

It doesn't happen all that often, but The Reckoning just may do it.

I really hadn't heard anything about this movie which stars Willem DaFoe, but if it is as good as the trailer, then we just may be on to something.

Kill Bill , Trailer 2

The teaser trailer for "Kill Bill Volume 2" is online now.

Although the new trailer doesn't have me as excited as the trailer for Kill Bill did, I must admit that I like it a lot.

A whole lot.

Check it out... you may find that you like it too.

RIP Bob Keeshan

Bob Keeshan died today. And piece of my childhood went with him. You see, Bob Keeshan was Captain Kangaroo.

Even if you're too young to have ever watched Captain Kangaroo, I'll bet you know what a huge part he played in the lives of kids growing up in the 50's, 60's, 70's and even the 80's! Each morning as a child, I can remember sitting in front of the television waiting for the Captain to get his big key ring full of keys to open the Treasure House. Then we'd wait to see who would pop in... Mister Green Jeans, Bunny Rabbit, Mr. Moose [watch out for falling ping pong balls], Grandfather Clock... there were cartoons and all kinds of cool stuff [for kids].

I outgrew the Captain Kangaroo show well before the 60's ended, but I never outgrew the good feeling that it left me as a child.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Mr. Keeshan's family and friends.

Scorsese's Horror Show

Seems that horror is really "in" these days. Like most of you, I've always been a fan and so I was really excited to hear about a new USA series based on the Frankenstein legend. As if that wasn't cool enough, you'll never guess who's teaming up to make it.

Martin [Goodfellas] Scorsese, Dean [The Servants of Twilight] Koontz, Marcus [The Texas Chainsaw Massacre remake] Nispel and producer Tony ["24"] Krantz have pooled their creative talents to bring us the show which will most likely premiere this fall.

Dark Horizons has more details right [HERE].

Niles & Templesmith Return

Steve Niles and Ben Templesmith hit a homerun with their "30 Days of Night" comic mini-series. Not only did it merit a trade paperback, a limited edition hardback and a follow-up series, but it was also optioned for the big screen. And for good reason. "30 Days of Night" is an excellent story with daring choices by both writer and artist.

Well, I'm happy to say that Niles and Templesmith are creating a final six issue mini-series called "Return to Barrow." The first issue will be out in March.

Templesmith seems psyched when he says, “This is going to be the big finale for 30 Days, where everything comes full circle... I'm working on the first issue now and it reads even more like a movie than the original did too. It's pretty cool!”

For full details click [HERE] and if it sounds like something that you'd like, let your local comic dealer know to reserve you a copy. I know I am.

Interman Wins Award

Congratulations are in order for Jeff Parker.

Jeff's graphic novel, Interman, was just named as one of the four Best Graphic Novels of 2004 by the Young Adult Library Services Association.

They're not the only ones who like Parker's Interman.

Entertainment Weekly praised it in their first comic/graphic novel review column. It's been optioned for a the big screen.

Here's what I said, back in June of 2003 when I posted Jeff's take on Sly. Check out Interman and you just might want to get on the Parker bandwagon.

Oh, and before I forget, congrats to Jeff!