The DC Animated Universe

Believe it or not, this post has been planned for a while now, and it's only serendipitous that it comes shortly after Warner Brothers announced that the live-action Justice League movie is on the cards. I'm not going to weigh in on the Batman reboot (though they really should wait until they get The Dark Knight Rises out into the world first) or the optimistic 2013 target date- I'm going to talk about some animated DC movies.

DC Universe Animated Original Movies are direct-to-DVD features, borne out of collaboration between DC Comics and Warner Bros. Animation. There've been ten thus far, with another Green Lantern film and an adaptation of Frank Miller's Batman: Year One to come, and seeing as how I've been keeping track of their output, I've been meaning to sample some of their films here on the blog.

Their most recent release, still yet to be released in the UK, is All-Star Superman, based on the Grant Morrison-penned comic series and adapted for animation by the late Dwayne McDuffie. Superman has a brush with death that makes him more powerful than ever before, but also suddenly aware of his own mortality. He makes things right with the love of his life, Lois Lane, but he must also fend off the machinations of his enemies- most of all, Lex Luthor.

There are sequences in All-Star Superman that would be perfect in any live-action Superman film. The indisputable highlight of the film comes when Clark Kent interviews Lex Luthor in prison, and his presence allows Parasite to break out of his cell to go on the rampage. It poses an actual challenge to the Man of Steel- Clark has to protect everyone without revealing his identity to them, especially not his arch-nemesis. It's a fantastic idea, very well executed on-screen, but the pitfall is that it features in a film that also has some very ridiculous stuff.

I suppose if you subscribe to the notion that Zack Snyder should have kept the giant squid ending in his Watchmen film, you'll find some of the weirder stuff in All-Star Superman easier to swallow. Research shows that it's very faithful to the comic, but to me at least, that made it seem far too busy. There are too many opponents in this film, often introduced and written out all too  brusquely, for it to flow very well. The anime-influenced style of animation looks gorgeous, but the story could have been more focused.

It's only in comparison to this particular Superman story that a Batman story could look light by comparison, but that's not entirely what you get with Batman: Under The Red Hood. It's mired in continuity, but the basics of the story are as follows- it's been several years since Jason Todd, Dick Grayson's successor as Robin, was murdered by the Joker. Batman is still reluctant to work with members of the extended Bat-family, but he may need all the help he can get as the mysterious Red Hood begins to corral Gotham's terrorised criminals to his own end.

On the surface, this one looks like everything a Batman fan could want- a moody and atmospheric tale that's faithful to the comic it's based on, to the letter. The reason why Christopher Nolan is doing so well with his take on Batman is because he's being faithful to the comics but tempering that with new stuff. You can still be surprised by the plot of a Nolan Batman film, but it somewhat undercuts the detective story of something like Under The Red Hood if you figure out what's what before Batman does. That's certainly got something to do with the fact that I had already read Under The Red Hood before watching this adaptation, but that doesn't make it a bad film, by any stretch.

There's a stellar voice cast that includes Bruce Greenwood and Jason Isaacs, there's some very clever treatment of villains we don't see an awful lot of, like Ra's al Ghul and Black Mask, and the animation looks fantastic, as ever. However, it's like Nolan's films in the wrong ways. It imitates the style and the storytelling of The Dark Knight when you need look no further than the animated series from the 90s, or its movie spin-off Mask of the Phantasm to see that the animated adventures of the caped crusader do much better in their own niche than they do when they mainly target an older audience.

And finally, for this post anyway, we come to Wonder Woman, which is arguably everything an actual film about Wonder Woman should be. Goodness knows it's better than the Super Ally McBeal TV series rendition sounds. It tells the origin story of the Amazon princess as related in a reboot story arc in the 1980s. The mighty Diana has her first brush with the world of man when US Air Force pilot Steve Trevor crash-lands on the usually concealed island of Themyscira. The crash coincides with the release of god of war Ares, who has been kept prisoner on the island for centuries, and now wreaks a terrible vengeance against the Earth.

As with Under The Red Hood, I got the feeling that this could really have been a live-action film if Warner Bros. wanted to take it in that direction. Unlike Under The Red Hood, this has no continuity baggage- it's an origin story. It's a damn good one too, and although it's not above certain clunky bits of expositional dialogue and the jarring introduction of Wonder Woman's invisible jet, I struggle to imagine how a different live-action origin story could do it better. Especially as the voice acting is superb, with big names like Keri Russell, Nathan Fillion, Alfred Molina and Rosario Dawson being just as perfectly cast for their vocals as they would be if they made this script in live-action.

The animation is great, and the action is surprisingly brutal without ever exceeding the 12A barrier. It balances the action with a good-natured sense of humour- I quite enjoyed one scene where Fillion's Steve Trevor tries to loosen Diana up on a boozy night out, only to discover that she's not as susceptible to tequila as he is. But best of all, it's not only the action or the well-judged comedy that lends it maturity- it also manages to adapt the character without gentrifying either gender, males or females. Diana might be a bit of a Disney princess while hanging around on Themyscira, but she's more like one of the kickass ones.

Wonder Woman is easily the best of the DC Animated Universe efforts I've seen to date. It introduces the character in an exciting way, and prominently broaches the topic of gender inequality, but it's never one-sided or simplistic. I know Batman, and I know Superman, and despite knowing nothing about Wonder Woman, this film surpassed everything with those other characters that I've seen from this studio.

Batman: Under The Red Hood and Wonder Woman are now available on DVD. All-Star Superman will arrive on DVD in the UK later in 2011.
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If you've been watching what comes out of the DC animated universe, why not share your comments below?

I'm Mark the mad prophet, and until next time, don't watch anything I wouldn't watch.

The Mad Prophet #100 (Kind Of)

This is as close to celebratory as I get.

I've been keeping count even after I axed the numbering in the titles, and by my reckoning, this is the 100th post since I stole adopted Howard Beale's moniker back in August last year. Some of you may not have been reading that long, but some may have been around since the very first post at this blog, my review of The Dark Knight over two years ago now... what do you want, a cookie?

Things have changed- I've found a rhythm and settled into it, kind of. Posting remains sporadic, opinions remain ranty and "Mark Kermode" is still the reason most of you found this site, according to my search stats. In the shadow of his flappy hands, I still stand, and so it's difficult to know how to commemorate 100 Mad Prophet posts. And then I realised a list would probably do it.

In 100 posts as the Mad Prophet, I've never actually told you what my favourite films of all time are. I've mentioned one or two here and there, but having not seen every single film ever made, I've been reluctant to share my own worthless ramblings about my personal favourites. But hey, you're here for the ramblings, so here are my top ten favourite films ever.

10. THE BIG LEBOWSKI (Coen, 1998)

 
Um, what? Jeffrey "The Dude" Lebowski loses a good rug when mistaken for his millionaire namesake, and as he and his bowling team try to get compensation, they become embroiled in a bizarre conspiracy involving Mrs. Lebowski.

Why for? Star Jeff Bridges recently compared this film to The Godfather, and although I like this more, the comparison with that film's reputation stands up. Making a modest showing on its original release, it's now the cult classic equivalent of Francis Ford Coppola's epic. Always funny, always quotable, and frankly, I've always thought this was the Coens' best work, rather than Fargo. Gee, this turned into Mark's Unpopular Opinions quite quickly. 

9. CINEMA PARADISO (Tornatore, 1988)

 
Um, what? A filmmaker reminisces upon his childhood in his local church, which doubles for the cinema in his small town, when he receives word that the venerable projectionist has passed away.

Why for? To me, it's the quintessential film for film lovers. Some may be alienated by the sentimentality towards celluloid pleasures, but then these people are soulless. So if you're not a zombie, Tornatore's ode to a bygone age of cinema is as heartwarming as they come, and dammit, I weep every single time I watch it. Ennio Morricone's excellent score and the nigh-on perfect ending see to that. The clip is the former rather than the latter because I don't want to spoil it- go watch the film. 

8. A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH (Powell and Pressburger, 1946)

 
Um, what? Aviator Peter Carter dies in action during the Second World War, but due to bad weather conditions, he isn't taken into the afterlife right away. In the 20 hours it takes for heaven's administrators to catch up with him, he falls in love, and must make the case that he died too soon if he is to be with her.

Why for? In January, I argued that The Lovely Bones was one of the better films of the year, even though I sort of agreed that Peter Jackson's vision of the afterlife was a little too psychedelic, and overwhelmed by CG. Here's a film that circumvented that by putting the hereafter in black and white to contrast with the technicolour mortal realm. And a high concept makes for the greatest romance of all time, in my humble opinion. Simply enough, they don't make them like this no more...

7. PAN'S LABYRINTH (Del Toro, 2006)


Um, what? In 1944, an oppressed young girl escapes the reality of her brutal stepfather and fascist Spain by entering a dark fantasy world, in which she must pass three gruesome tests in order to prove her royal lineage and reunite with her real father.

Why for? By turns, it's brutal and fantastical- a grown-up genre savvy answer to Alice in Wonderland. Memorable characters and a great script are married perfectly with the splendid visuals. It also boasts The Scariest Movie Monster Ever, as endorsed by your Mad Prophet- see the video above. Del Toro's demented masterpiece.

6. BACK TO THE FUTURE (Zemeckis, 1985)


Um, what? Dr. Emmett Brown invents a time machine, and high school student Marty McFly accidentally drives it back to 1955, meeting his parents when they were his age and jeopardising his own existence in the process.

Why for? If you don't know, get to your local cinema- they're still showing the film's 25th anniversary remastering. For those still with us, films like this are just magical. It's got plotholes you could drive the DeLorean through, but its enduring appeal is down to the fact that it's a sci-fi film about people and romance rather than technobabble and causality, like the kinda inferior Part II. Make like a tree and go watch it.

5. THE DARK KNIGHT (Nolan, 2008)


Um, what? Batman has organised crime on the run in Gotham City until the arrival of the anarchistic Joker. A trifecta is formed between the caped crusader, Commissioner Gordon and District Attorney Harvey Dent, but all three are tested to their limit by the Joker's campaign of chaos.

Why for? We're two years down the line now, so we've weathered the backlash against this film, and even the insane "making us look bad" machinations of the nutty Nolan fanboys over on the IMDB, so we know by now that this film still has flaws. But you know what? It still doesn't feel like it once you're watching. No comic book movie is this engrossing- it's not what you'd want from a Superman or Spider-Man film, but it's the perfect Batman film, with an unforgettable cast and an aesthetic that still dazzles if you've seen it twice or twenty times.

4. SHAUN OF THE DEAD (Wright, 2004)

 
Um, what? Shaun drives his girlfriend Liz to breaking point with his persistent inertia, and it feels like the world is ending when she dumps him. Then the zombie apocalypse happens, and with the world really ending, he rallies a ramshackle group of survivors to go to the local pub.

Why for? Edgar Wright is one of my favourite directors, but for me, neither of his other films quite match the sheer brilliance of Shaun. Like The Big Lebowski, it's a comedy that is always funny, and one which always has new surprises no matter how many times I see it. Odd then, that it's so difficult to find usable clips on YouTube. Then again, the Don't Stop Me Now dance number/fight scene should be seen in context to be believed.

3. THE TAKING OF PELHAM ONE TWO THREE (Sargent, 1974)


Um, what? A New York subway train is hijacked by four men, who demand the Mayor pay a million dollar ransom for the passengers. A battle of wills ensues between the hijackers' leader and a transit police lieutenant, as it seems impossible that the robbers could ever escape...

Why for? Unlike Tony Scott's brainless remake, this is an action film with real class. It deploys great actors to perform an excellent script, and for posterity, it shows an immutable New York spirit. While the remake was obviously tinged with post-9/11 context, the passengers are considerably more ballsy in the superior original. Darkly humorous and gripping by turns, it's another film with an unforgettable ending.

2. TOY STORY (Lasseter, 1995)


Um, what?  Hand-me-down cowboy doll Woody rules the roost amongst his fellow toys, a role which is usurped in the wake of their owner's birthday. His favourite gift is a brand-new spaceman action figure, Buzz Lightyear, who quickly becomes more popular than Woody.

Why for? Fun fact- more people find this blog by searching for Toy Story than any other term. That said, at least one of you sick puppies found me by looking for "baby spiters". But I've spoken of my love of the Toy Story trilogy even more than my distaste for Michael Bay, and there's a reason for that. It's a magnificent series, but the one that holds the spot in my top ten is the first one, for all the added nostalgia value it's gathered since my first viewing at the age of 6. Also, it's near enough perfect.

1. RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK (Spielberg, 1981)


Um, what? With the Nazis combing the desert in search of the dangerously powerful Ark of the Covenant, archaeologist Indiana Jones tries to beat them to it, picking up his old flame Marion Ravenwood along the way.

Why for? I feel I've covered this film considerably less, when you account for how it's my favourite film of all time, and all. It has something for everyone, including a career-defining turn by Harrison Ford, and Marion just being the stuff of life-long crushes (Kingdom of the Crystal Skull doesn't count). The recent announcement of Star Wars being redone in 3D filled me with dread for the day when Lucasfilm turns on its better franchise once again- if they ever tamper with this, I'm redoubling my efforts to leave the planet. What's to say, except that it's my idea of a perfect movie?
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If you're surprised by my top ten, or want to share your own all-time favourites, why not leave a comment? It's ironic that Network didn't make this list, really- the whole blog is built around that film. Although my list fluctuates, rest assured that it always makes the top twenty if not the top ten...

I'm Mark the mad prophet, and until the 200th post, don't watch anything I wouldn't watch.

Clooney's Farm

George Clooney is known for many things these days, but we Batman fans, we usually remember just one thing. We remember that he was in Batman & Robin. While we certainly don't forget, it's possible that if we love film as much as the caped crusader, we might eventually forgive. I mean, sure, Clooney is the worst Batman ever, but is he really as much to blame for that film as Arnold Schwarzenegger, Akiva Goldsman or Joel Schumacher? Certainly not, especially since he's exonerated himself with his latter departures from TV soap operas.

The fact is that Clooney is a rather talented actor, writer and director. He's got one Oscar win under his belt already and has a rather impressive body of work through collaborations with the Coen brothers and Stephen Soderbergh. Yeah, there's that Sexiest Man in the World thing, but I'm loath to mentioning his perceived dreaminess for fear of the errant ton of homophobic bricks that might fall on me. Besides which, I've said many times before that good looks aren't necessary to good filmmaking. I just think the guy's a great film star, and he's got a number of films out lately, so today's post will cover Fantastic Mr. Fox and The Men Who Stare At Goats, his two farm animal related outings in cinemas at the moment. As something of a regular disclaimer, it's only my opinion on here- others are available. As ever, mild spoilers may occur in the process of reviewing, but never so far as to spoil any major plot developments.


First off, Clooney lends his voice to the titular Mr. Fox in Wes Anderson's Fantastic Mr. Fox. Borrowing the premise of Roald Dahl's much loved book, Mr. Fox mounts a terrific heist on the local farms of Boggis, Bunce and Bean, raiding for chickens, turkeys and cider. Little does he realise that the farmers will go to the ends of the earth for revenge, deploying their combined workforces to obliterate Mr. Fox and his family's home. Banding together with the Rabbit and Badger families, Mr. Fox eludes capture and mounts yet another raid on the farms, only making the farmers madder. If that sounds like a pretty straightforward and entertaining animation, you've probably overestimated Wes Anderson.

A film based on this book should be accessible for children, correct? Not in Wes Anderson's world, where he's crafted the biggest disappointment I've had at the cinema in a while now. Fantastic Mr. Fox is essentially just like The Royal Tenenbaums, which I personally found to be the most overrated comedy in years, transplanted into Roald Dahl's world, and it just didn't work for me. It's obviously been sanitised for kids, but the use of the word "cuss" every time there should be a swear word isn't endearing at all- it just feels like Anderson wrote fuck, shit and tits exactly as he normally might, and then censored himself afterwards. The final title card proclaims that the film is based on Roald Dahl's book, but I actually want to decry that as false advertising.


The worst part of this approach is that it's a film for middle-aged people rather than Dahl's much younger target audience. There are films that strike a balance between adult enjoyment and children's entertainment, mostly the output of Aardman and Pixar, but you can't tell me that the 8-year-olds in the audience are excited by Mr. Fox talking about existentialism. Simultaneously humanising- not to mention Americanising- the animals and still making frequent mentions of how wild and feral they are confused me, never mind, your average 8-year-old. I'm a proponent of young audiences being more intelligent than most Hollywood fare gives them credit for, but Anderson has made an Anderson film, not an adaptation of the book. Personally, I'm just scorned by the fact that I was excited about Jarvis Cocker's contribution to the soundtrack, only to discover that he essentially cameos as himself in stop-motion form. Wes Anderson has made Jarvis Cocker annoying, and that's a cardinal sin of filmmaking in my book.

That's not to say the film is without merit- despite being utterly mistargeted, the voice cast largely do a great job. George Clooney brings Mr. Fox to life as a charming yet cunning creature, and it's always terrific to hear the voices of Bill Murray and Michael Gambon, whether attached to their bodies or not. Moreover, the animation looks fabulous. Production company Indian Paintbrush have given this a wonderfully retro aesthetic. It's not polished or computer generated like most animated films of late, but that gives it a lot more soul than its counterparts. With a less self-indulgent script, all the ingredients would have been there to make Fantastic Mr. Fox into a truly special animated treat. As it is, it's something of a letdown- who ever wanted to see a Roald Dahl book repurposed for Wes Anderson fans?


On the other side of Clooney's farm, we have The Men Who Stare At Goats, the feature film version of Jon Ronson's exposé of US black ops. In the film version, Ewan McGregor plays Bob Wilton, a heartbroken journalist who goes to cover the conflict in Iraq with a need to justify himself. There he has a chance encounter with Lyn Cassady (Farmer Clooney again), and discovers that he's undergone training as a psychic "Jedi" soldier for the New Earth Army, an American funded project. Bob is roped into Lyn's latest mission, which puts them at odds with the more nefarious Larry Hooper, played by Kevin Spacey. If you've seen the trailer, it's the one that gives off a slight vibe of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, only a lot more mainstream.

And that's just what some have said is the problem with the film. I haven't read Jon Ronson's book yet, and even though I plan to in the wake of enjoying this version, I don't think you can let that ruin your enjoyment of The Men Who Stare At Goats. As I've said in the past, any adaptation has to stand alone in the medium it's being brought to you in- sure, a nod to those who've followed the story across different iterations is nice here and there, but the most abominable adaptations are those that subsist on such nods rather than forming any coherent translation. The script for this one comes from screenwriter Peter Straughan, who also translated How To Lose Friends and Alienate People to the screen last year, but with much less competence than he displays here. It's a difficult beast to convert, but somehow it pays off beautifully.


A modest caption of "More of this is true than you would believe" doesn't completely overshadow the audience's enjoyment of the film, and you'd expect nothing less of Grant Heslov and George Clooney, who last collaborated on the understated and really rather excellent Good Night And Good Luck. As much as that film was a different beast, very grounded in reality, the opposite approach pays off remarkably well here. It's a comedy first and foremost, and its grasp of absurdity and humour makes this a very enjoyable watch indeed. McGregor is our narrator a la Gonzo, and got more than a few titters whenever the word "Jedi" came out of his mouth, given his brave struggle through three not-very-good films as a very-good Obi Wan Kenobi. Clooney plays Lyn almost completely deadpan, and it works brilliantly. Similarly enjoyable are Jeff Bridges, as the psychic project's hippie lieutenant Bill Django, and Kevin Spacey, as the almost cartoonishly spiteful villain.

There's a wonderful surrealism to the comedy of The Men Who Stare At Goats that keeps the laughs coming consistently for the full 93 minute running time. Its sense of humour put me in mind of Anchorman, given how both are traditionally viewed as "men's films" and this one has nary a female in sight. That said, the reviews it's been getting between user-generated content and more reputed critics suggests that this is going to be sadly overlooked. The complaints have been with narrative flow, but as a comedy it excels everything the mainstream reviews have said and sits comfortably amongst other great satires of the US military. Ewan McGregor's best Jedi film, and one of the best comedies of the year.

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It only occurred to me halfway through writing that I could have just as easily paired Jennifer's Body (Megan Fox) with Fantastic Mr. Fox (...with some foxes), both of which were released by 20th Century Fox and had a Fox-fest. Ah...

Moving swiftly on, the next post will cover Jennifer's Body and Michael Jackson's This Is It, even though you can't really describe the latter as a film. In the meantime, if you've seen Fantastic Mr. Fox or The Men Who Stare At Goats, why not share your comments below?

I'm Mark the mad prophet, and until next time, don't watch anything I wouldn't watch.