Did Tom Welling Just Tease His Next Film Project?

July 9, 2017July 9, 2017 / Daryn Kirscht / 2 Comments

Some might remember Tom Welling as Charlie Baker from the Steve Martin-led film, Cheaper By the Dozen, but most probably remember Welling’s portrayal of Clark Kent / Superman from the hit WB and CW series, Smallville. After the show’s 10-season run ended in 2011, he has only appeared in a handful of projects, including Parkland, Draft Day, and The Choice.
After The Choice debuted in February 2016, things have been mostly silent for Welling minus his St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital t-shirt campaign. He hasn’t been announced to be involved with any other projects for the past 17 months, but now we may have an indication of a new project he may appear in – with Welling’s Instagram as the direct source.
On July 7th, Welling posted the following picture onto Instagram (which has been screenshotted from an iPhone).

As you can see, he wrote “Back on set,” which is obviously a strong indication that he is filming something, but there is always a chance he might not be. As for what that project could be, your guess is as good as mine. I’m just happy that he might be involved with a new project. Let’s hope this is the beginning of his true comeback; he’s too talented of an actor not to.
Update: It has been brought to my attention that this picture is actually about Welling promoting Saddle Club with his girlfriend, Jessica Rose Lee. Sorry for the misinterpretation. It looks like we will have to wait longer to hear about any other potential projects.

My Ranking of 2016 Superhero Movies

December 31, 2016 / Daryn Kirscht / Leave a comment

*This is my personal opinion, so if you disagree, that’s completely okay.*

Title image credit: Heroic Hollywood

There were some good comic-book films that were released this year and some iffy ones, so I’ll share my thoughts on the ones that I have seen. SPOILER ALERT! There will be a few minor spoilers within this piece, so if you haven’t seen a particular movie on this list yet and don’t want to know about it, please come back after you’ve seen it. Everyone good? Those still here – let’s jump right in!

1) Deadpool – 9/10

Pros:

Balance of incredible comedy and heartfelt moments
Personality (takes advantage of hard R-rating)
Pacing
Creativity – low budget and opening credit sequence
Villain

Cons:

Not long enough

2) Captain America: Civil War – 8.5/10

Pros:

Airport action sequence
Iron Man and Captain America
Introduction to Spider-Man and Black Panther
Characterization
Tone

Cons:

No memorable soundtrack
Slightly unsatisfying conclusion
Villain

3) Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (Ultimate Edition) – 8/10

*Theatrical cut – 6.9 or 7/10*

Pros:

Epic action
Amazing soundtrack
Wonder Woman
Ben Affleck
Cinematography
Setting up the DC Universe

Cons:

Slightly too dark of a tone
Not enough action and interaction between Batman and Superman
Africa sequence and storyline
A little more heroism and heart
Pacing/Editing

4) Suicide Squad – 6/10

Pros:

Deadshot
Harley Quinn
El Diablo
Amanda Waller
Batman and Flash cameos

Cons:

Messy and stupid plot! Particularly the last half
Misuse of Katana’s character
Joker (not enough to fully tell yet)
Killer Croc
Slipknot
Rick Flag
Forced humor
Villain

*Haven’t seen X-Men: Apocalypse or Doctor Strange yet.*

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Potential Justice League Storylines

June 14, 2016June 15, 2016 / Daryn Kirscht / 1 Comment

WARNING: There will be spoilers below for Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. If you haven’t seen the film yet and don’t want to have it ruined, come back after you’ve seen it. If you haven’t seen it and don’t care about seeing major plot points, then that’s fine, too, I suppose!

Ever since the ballsy ending to BvS, there has been much controversy. It isn’t just about the ending, but that the ending was so unexpected and somber. Well, I guess it shouldn’t be shocking for comic-book fans. One of the highest-selling graphic novels of all-time was called The Death of Superman, in which Doomsday and Superman both die, but then some other events happen (discussed below).

Anyway, here are my theories for possible Justice League storylines.

#1: Injustice: Gods Among Us

This is most likely going to be a part of the film. It all depends on how much. Essentially, the Injustice storyline is based off of the Joker killing a pregnant Lois Lane, and Superman decides to exercise power in order to end all crime. Batman initially disapproves with Superman, but tensions skyrocket when Superman kills the Joker.

Also, in the comics, there has been war-like tension between Aquaman’s home down in Atlantis, and Wonder Woman’s humble abode in the Amazon. Batman v Superman writer Chris Terrio was also quoted saying he has done a lot of research for both of these heroes’ homes.

#2: Batman and Wonder Woman – Action/Adventure

We learned that Batman and Wonder Woman are going to find the other metahumans discovered in the e-mail file and form a group to serve up some justice. My theory is that they go around to each hero’s city and find them in an effort to help combat the threat Lex warned Bruce of (and the Flash cameo earlier). Maybe things are put into motion a little quicker by a new threat? Is it Superman? Is it the Amazon/Atlantis war? Brainiac? Darkseid?

#3: JL War

This animated movie from 2014 shows a plethora of superheroes eventually coming together to stop the evil force of Darkseid. To make this clear, Darkseid is very similar to Thanos in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but Darkseid was created FIRST in the comics. This movie shows the origin of Cyborg and Shazam, as well as seeing great banter between Green Lantern, Flash, Batman, and Superman before taking on Darkseid.

There were many hints to this storyline in BvS. The box that helped create Cyborg (also seen in the deleted scene on YouTube titled “Communion”) is called a motherbox, or the “iPhones” of Darkseid’s home planet named Apocalypse. Also, Darkseid turns Superman evil for a small period of time, which was hinted at in a couple scenes of BvS. Could we see the Justice League teaming up to stop Steppenwolf (Darkseid’s army general in the picture above) from gathering all three motherboxes?

#4: The Death of Superman continuation

Obviously this was a part of the final act of BvS. This comic book (and eventually animated movie) is one of the most iconic of all-time.

In the story, Superman and Doomsday kill each other after a long, hard-fought battle in Metropolis, but Lex takes advantage of this. He made an evil clone of Superman, which the real Superman had to fight against when he came back from the dead by way of his Kryptonian technology. The best part: he came back with an awesome black and chrome suit.

#5: Crisis on Infinite Earths

This might be a stretch, but it’s possible. There was a part of the storyline that snuck into BvS. In the storyline, Flash goes back in time (or onto a different Earth for sweaties out there) to warn Batman of the future and that the world is dying.

In BvS, Flash arrives through a time portal to tell Bruce: “You were right about him,” and “It’s Lois, Lane Lane! She’s the key!” Although this is more likely to be be a part of either the Flash solo movie in 2018 to bring together the movie and television universe, I think DC wants to keep their TV-shows separate from their movies – especially after that Season 2 finale of The Flash television show.

The Verdict

Which one of these options is most likely? Well, probably a little bit of every option, but no one really knows. That’s a lie – Zack Snyder, Warner Bros, and the cast of Justice League already know. I’m just extremely enthralled and pumped for a live-action Justice League movie! What do you think will happen in the upcoming DC movies? Let me know!

Should you buy the Ultimate Edition of BvS?

May 29, 2016 / Daryn Kirscht / 2 Comments

In 2013 at the San Diego Comic-Con, Hall-H was filled with approximately 6,500 screaming fans dressed in costumes of their favorite heroes and villains. Warner Brothers had a surprise panel that saw Man of Steel director Zack Snyder walk across the stage and eventually announce (with the help of Harry Lennix) that the sequel would be Batman v Superman. Pretty crazy, right?

Fast forward to March 2016. Your local theater played the theatrical cut of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (PG-13), and nationally garnered very mixed reactions and reviews from fans and critics alike. Overall, it has made quite the haul ($860 million worldwide), and has set up a great DC Universe for the big-screen for years to come.

What some people don’t know is that the DVD/Blu-Ray release of the movie in July will have an extended edition with an ADDITIONAL 30 MINUTES of deleted scenes not shown in the theatrical version – putting the film’s runtime at 3 hours and 1 minute. Plus, the ultimate edition will have OVER 2 HOURS of behind-the-scenes footage. Oh yeah, I forgot to mention – it’s rated R (sequences of violence).

That begs the question: should YOU buy the extended/ultimate edition of BvS? Well, it depends if you want to see the movie the filmmakers wanted you to see in the first place. Only mere months before entering movie theaters, the studio and Snyder decided to cut the film down in order to make more money and not detract fans that don’t want to sit through 3 hours of a movie without peeing and missing anything.

I’ve already pre-ordered it online, and I’m fascinated by the scenes that are mentioned to be in it. I think it will make the movie better. It should (hopefully) fill in some of the plot holes that critics had problems with and flesh-out the characters and their motivations more. It will also give a hint as for what’s to come in the future movies – like the roles of Jena Malone and Dan Amboyer (which I may already know).

It shouldn’t come as much of a surprise. I’m actually more surprised we didn’t get one with Man of Steel since Zack Snyder is so good at director’s cuts/extended editions. His director’s cut of Watchmen (another R-rated superhero movie from 2009) has actually been received much better than the original theatrical cut.

If you’re a fan of masterful soundtracks, solid villains, spectacular action and visuals, and thought-provoking subject matter that isn’t just for kids, then you will love this ultimate edition of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. It has possibly the best on-screen Batman, the greatest, most powerful hero of all-time in Superman, and not to forget an incredible Wonder Woman too! At the very least, it’s an entertaining watch. Thanks for reading!

Differences between Marvel and DC

April 13, 2016 / Daryn Kirscht / Leave a comment

With Captain America: Civil War hitting theaters in a few weeks, I figured this would be a good time to help non-comic readers understand what they are about to see. The following will highlight the major differences between these two rival, competitive (yet friendly) comic-book companies. There are a few similarities, but for the most part, they have completely separate characteristics about them that most people don’t fully realize yet. This is especially important since DC (Detective Comics) has a bunch of new movies coming out over the course of the next 5 years, and Marvel is planning on having at least 2 comic-book movies released each year as well.

I will remain unbiased while still incorporating my honest opinion. I grew up with DC and have recently over the last 6 years began to really enjoy Marvel films. So I will remain unbiased and speak honestly about the differences when walking into a movie theater to watch a movie from each. I’ve also added links to characters not as popular among casual fans of the properties so if you clink on the word “link,” it will take you to their database and explain them in more detail.

Tone/Style

As we’ve known since Iron Man back in 2008, Marvel (owned by Disney) has a lighter tone – blended together with action, slapstick comedy, and heartfelt moments. They began as family movies and even when they became mainstreamed, they stuck to what made them great in the first place. Things might become intense and tough at times, but comedic relief is a must in these movies and Marvel never seems to disappoint. The guy running the movie division of Marvel is Kevin Feige, and it’s obvious how incredibly successful he has been so far.

On the other hand, DC is taking a different approach. Since the success of The Dark Knight trilogy, Warner Brothers (WB) and Zack Snyder (300, Man of Steel) have decided to keep that same edgy, intense, complex, darker tone to their films. This might have turned off some people once the darker tone was extended past Batman films and into Man of Steel, but whether or not you prefer lighter or darker tone, DC is to be commended for not just copying Marvel. I can confirm that Justice League next year will not be as dark as Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice was.

Score/Soundtrack

I’ll start this section by highlighting how amazing the DC soundtracks have been thus far. Only two movies into their extended universe, they have managed to produce some of the best scores possibly in movie history. Hans Zimmer and Junkie XL both tag-teamed Man of Steel and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and are considered among the best composers in the business today. Despite Zimmer officially stepping down from superhero movies, Junkie XL (the former Disc Jockey) should be able to carry the load after scoring Deadpool and Mad Max: Fury Road independently.

It’s important to note that while Marvel films have a massive audience and endless critical acclaim, this is one area they aren’t as strong in. It’s not that their scores are bad, because they aren’t bad at all, DC just has everyone’s number on this one. That being said, I really do like Captain America’s theme the most in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).

Universe Building

Marvel has this ability to tie in so many characters seamlessly into their cinematic universe. By starting off with all solo movies before the team-up with The Avengers, fans were able to go in knowing these characters so it didn’t have to spend an entire movie throwing them in and hoping we would connect the dots ourselves and understand (*hint hint*). Even for those who haven’t seen some of the solo movies (like myself at the time), I was able to go back and watch them after seeing the team-up. Now that Marvel has so many characters with their own movies, they can now crossover with other MCU films and do so properly and successfully.

Even if BvS failed to live up to high expectations, it did set up the Dawn of Justice part pretty well for Justice League in November 2017 and their solo movies outside of that. What WB and DC decided to do was set the building blocks for their extended universe in BvS and lead that into JL, where before and after we get the solo movies, so in retrospect, they reverse-engineered the template Marvel used. For better or worse, it has people excited for solo Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Batman, Flash, and Suicide Squad films. Also, The Dark Knight trilogy is not a part of this universe, it is its own thing.

Heroes

I’ll begin with the DC heroes that are the founding members of the Justice League. They are Superman and Batman (the two most iconic superheroes of all-time), Wonder Woman, Flash, Aquaman, Cyborg, and Green Lantern.Other heroes that might appear at some point are Green Arrow (link), Black Canary (link), Martian Manhunter (link), Supergirl (link), Batgirl (link), Nightwing (link), Shazam (link), and Mera (link).

As for Marvel, they have what might be the best group of superheroes ever assembled. They consist of Captain America, Iron Man, Spider-Man, Black Widow, Thor, Hulk, Vision, Black Panther, Scarlet Witch, Ant-Man, Hawkeye, and Falcon. Despite not having connected with the movie universe yet, the characters from their television shows could always make an appearance in the next couple Avengers films – such as Daredevil (link), Luke Cage (link), and Jessica Jones (link). Quick note: Marvel created the characters of the Fantastic Four and Deadpool, but they belong to Fox and a different cinematic universe (X-Men).

Villains

Marvel have some cool villains that people tend to sleep on. My favorite from them is the comic-book version of Venom (link). Others that are obviously fan favorites are Loki, Thanos, Winter Soldier, Ultron, and Green Goblin. They have been memorable in the films and also in the comic-books. One of the few criticisms of Marvel movies have been the lack of good villains so far, but I don’t expect that to continue.

I would be lying if I didn’t admit that this is another category in which DC is superior. Batman’s villains alone would be almost enough to give them the edge over Marvel, but that’s not why I’m writing this. Joker, Bane, Riddler, Lex Luthor, General Zod, Doomsday, Darkseid (link), Reverse-Flash, Deathstroke (link), and Ras Al Ghul are just some of the great villains in the DC Comics world.

Why Can’t They Be in the Same Movies?

Someone asked me this question last year, and I feel the need to answer this question for others out there that might also be asking this question. The easy answer: they are two different companies. Marvel is a company that’s been operated by Stan Lee for many years, and DC is a company operated by Geoff Johns. They are both incredibly intelligent, and there was even a comic-book crossover between the two in the ’90s.

Final Thoughts

Although I might have subconsciously compared Marvel to DC in terms of those categories, I highly recommend NOT to compare them. Think of apples and oranges – yes, they are both fruit, but completely different (fruit = superhero movies, apples and oranges = Marvel and DC). There’s no shame in liking both, in fact, I applaud those that do. I sincerely hope you understand the differences and similarities about both.