News Around the Net!

Though I think the quality of his films has dipped considerably in the last decade or two, I remain an enormous Woody Allen fan.  So I tip my hat to Juliet Lapidos from Slate Magazine who just watched every single Woody Allen film and summarized what she’s learned.  It’s a wonderful piece — well-worth your time.  (I’m also pleased that to learn that, after her massive re-watching project, she concurs with my long-held opinion that 1997’s Deconstructing Harry was Mr. Allen’s last truly great film.)

Here’s also a fascinating ranking of Mr. Allen’s films into categories (from the “masterworks” to the “bad”).  There’s not too much I can disagree with about this listing!  It’s pretty spot-on, I think.  A few quibbles: I think Hannah and her Sisters and What’s Up Tiger Lily should be bumped up to “great,” as should Play it Again Sam, Deconstructing Harry, and Zelig. Bananas deserves a spot in the “Masterworks” category, and I’d bump The Purple Rose of Cairo down one notch to the merely “great.”  And Scoop definitely needs to be shifted down into the “bad” category.  OK, I guess I did have some objections!  But still, over-all, a terrific list.

Speaking of obsessive-compulsive types, check this out: a complete guide to every single sneaker Jerry Seinfeld ever wore on Seinfeld.  Very cool (and just slightly frightening).

So, Rise of the Apes (which was originally called Caesar) is now Rise of the Planet of the Apes? Wow, the title just became simultaneously way more awesome and also way, way stupider.  I can’t wait!  (By the way, did you watch the new trailer???)

I’m not sure what makes me happier: that we’re actually getting a new Planet of the Apes movie this summer, or that in New Zealand right now they’re actually, finally, for-real, filming Peter Jackson’s two-film adaptation of The Hobbit. Have you seen the first new production diary? I have tingles.  I’m not kidding!  Peter Jackson was a true innovator with the video diaries that he posted back in the day, chronicling the making of the Lord of the Rings trilogy and then King Kong, and I have fond memories of devouring those whenever they were released during the pre-production and production of those films.  It makes me so happy that they’re finally back, and that The Hobbit is at long last under-way.  CAN’T WAIT FOR MORE.

Are we really just a few weeks away from Thor? I really want that movie to be good, but I’m a bit nervous.  This very positive early review has me optimistic, though!

I’ll be posting a piece soon with my thoughts on the last few DC animated projects (including the adaptation of Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely’s incredible All Star Superman), but I couldn’t wait to chime in with the news that Bruce Timm and the gang have apparently begun work on an animated adaptation of The Dark Knight Returns.  This is enormously exciting news, but it does also give me some trepidation.  The DC DVDs have been very hit and miss so far.  A no-holds-barred adaptation of The Dark Knight Returns could be one of the greatest things my eyeballs have ever seen (and it’s certainly not something I ever expected Timm & co. to tackle), but a mediocre re-telling would be heart-breaking.  I’m crossing my fingers and toes on this one!  (And yes, I’m well aware that Timm and his gang have already adapted a short piece of The Dark Knight Returns — in the “Legends of the Dark Knight” episode of Batman: The Animated Series. But while that episode was super-cool, once I got over the initial thrill of seeing scenes from TDKR animated, I have to admit that the animation was just so-so.  They would need to do far better for a feature-length adaptation…)

I love Edgar Wright, and these two experiments in editing that he did when he was 18 only make him love him more.  This is exactly the type of thing I did as a teenager.  Super-cool.

This is very funny.

See you back here tomorrow!