the ring lord
The Internet geek debates are vociferious, even angry and bitter. But the DC Comics superhero Green Lantern is reborn -- again -- this time as a terrific animated movie.
Green Lantern: First Flight launched this week as a direct-to-DVD and Blu-ray release, part of a Warner Bros. series of stylized, full-length, widescreen animations such as Wonder Woman and Batman: Gotham Knight.
Each skews more adult-mature and less kid-friendly than you might first expect. None, however, is as tough and edgy, or as violent and bloody, as live action versions of comic books. And I'm intrigued to see what happens with the live action Lantern coming in 2011 with Ryan Reynolds as Hal Jordan.
The new animated Green Lantern features the voice of Christopher Meloni as Jordan, the cocky American test pilot who gets chosen for the ring. His green guy is not to be confused with the Green Hornet, although viewers with only a vague recollection of Lantern mythology might do so. Victor Garber is the scene-stealing voice of Sinestro, the hero corrupted into a fascist villain.
The movie twists the Lantern story, but so did the comics back to Bill Finger and Martin Nodell's first creation in July 1940. The storyline evolved and even changed heroes. Jordan first arrived in 1959. His origins story is again manipulated by director Laureen Montgomery's filmmaking team for First Flight. On standard DVD, Green Lantern: First Flight is available as a single-disc basic edition. Better is the two-disc Special Edition with bonus materials, although some are blatant promotions for future releases. The Lantern-related materials include comic writer Geoff Johns discussing his approach. You also get the hilarious Daffy Duck cartoon satire, Duck Dodgers.
Everything on the special edition is available on the Blu-ray, plus an exclusive on the symbolism of the green power rings that turn wearers into superheroes. Both the special edition and Blu-ray have a problem, however. Digital copies are good for Windows only, not Mac.
BART GOT A ROOM: There is a fine line between stupid teen comedy and clever high school movie. A few tasteless jokes or bad casting and you are doomed to Stupidland. So I was apprehensive about Bart Got a Room, Brian Hecker's entry in this coming-of-age category. But it jumps in on the Juno side of the line.
That means it is smart as well as funny.
It is keenly observed and beautifully cast, with empathetic Steven Kaplan as the geek who lives in Hollywood, Fla., and is planning his prom date. If he can get one.
The widescreen-only DVD, new this week, refreshes the approach to extras. Instead of making-of featurettes, you can activate pop-up balloons that add to the sly comedy. That's cool.
MISS MARCH: Arrrrgh! Actors, writers and co-directors Zach Cregger and Trevor Moore stumble over to the really stupid side of teen comedies with Miss March. Besides an obsession with poopy pants, their humour is mental, juvenile and idiotic.
They play two pals heading to the Playboy Mansion to hook up with a former high school sweetheart under circumstances too absurd to mention. The DVD is out this week as an Unrated Fully Exposed Edition with three-and-a-half minutes of extra footage in the optional unrated cut. More is way too much.
And the limited extras are lame, too.
NEW THIS WEEK: Green Lantern: First Flight - Bart Got a Room - Miss March - Dragonball: Evolution - Dollhouse: Season One.
NEW NEXT WEEK: Race to Witch Mountain - Delgo - The Soloist - Obsessed.
COMING SOON: The Class (Aug. 11) - Tyson (Aug. 18).
The Internet geek debates are vociferious, even angry and bitter. But the DC Comics superhero Green Lantern is reborn -- again -- this time as a terrific animated movie.
Green Lantern: First Flight launched this week as a direct-to-DVD and Blu-ray release, part of a Warner Bros. series of stylized, full-length, widescreen animations such as Wonder Woman and Batman: Gotham Knight.
Each skews more adult-mature and less kid-friendly than you might first expect. None, however, is as tough and edgy, or as violent and bloody, as live action versions of comic books. And I'm intrigued to see what happens with the live action Lantern coming in 2011 with Ryan Reynolds as Hal Jordan.
The new animated Green Lantern features the voice of Christopher Meloni as Jordan, the cocky American test pilot who gets chosen for the ring. His green guy is not to be confused with the Green Hornet, although viewers with only a vague recollection of Lantern mythology might do so. Victor Garber is the scene-stealing voice of Sinestro, the hero corrupted into a fascist villain.
The movie twists the Lantern story, but so did the comics back to Bill Finger and Martin Nodell's first creation in July 1940. The storyline evolved and even changed heroes. Jordan first arrived in 1959. His origins story is again manipulated by director Laureen Montgomery's filmmaking team for First Flight. On standard DVD, Green Lantern: First Flight is available as a single-disc basic edition. Better is the two-disc Special Edition with bonus materials, although some are blatant promotions for future releases. The Lantern-related materials include comic writer Geoff Johns discussing his approach. You also get the hilarious Daffy Duck cartoon satire, Duck Dodgers.
Everything on the special edition is available on the Blu-ray, plus an exclusive on the symbolism of the green power rings that turn wearers into superheroes. Both the special edition and Blu-ray have a problem, however. Digital copies are good for Windows only, not Mac.
BART GOT A ROOM: There is a fine line between stupid teen comedy and clever high school movie. A few tasteless jokes or bad casting and you are doomed to Stupidland. So I was apprehensive about Bart Got a Room, Brian Hecker's entry in this coming-of-age category. But it jumps in on the Juno side of the line.
That means it is smart as well as funny.
It is keenly observed and beautifully cast, with empathetic Steven Kaplan as the geek who lives in Hollywood, Fla., and is planning his prom date. If he can get one.
The widescreen-only DVD, new this week, refreshes the approach to extras. Instead of making-of featurettes, you can activate pop-up balloons that add to the sly comedy. That's cool.
MISS MARCH: Arrrrgh! Actors, writers and co-directors Zach Cregger and Trevor Moore stumble over to the really stupid side of teen comedies with Miss March. Besides an obsession with poopy pants, their humour is mental, juvenile and idiotic.
They play two pals heading to the Playboy Mansion to hook up with a former high school sweetheart under circumstances too absurd to mention. The DVD is out this week as an Unrated Fully Exposed Edition with three-and-a-half minutes of extra footage in the optional unrated cut. More is way too much.
And the limited extras are lame, too.
NEW THIS WEEK: Green Lantern: First Flight - Bart Got a Room - Miss March - Dragonball: Evolution - Dollhouse: Season One.
NEW NEXT WEEK: Race to Witch Mountain - Delgo - The Soloist - Obsessed.
COMING SOON: The Class (Aug. 11) - Tyson (Aug. 18).
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