DC Movies- if at first you don't succeed...

[csyphrett]

6 hours ago, Grailknight said:

I think the only way to save DC is to split the company into a main continuity and an Elseworlds line. If you clearly label the attempts to attract a new non-traditional customer base and keep them separate from the mainstream storylines, you don't alienate your longtime customers.

They do that. Tom King's story of Ice accidentally poisoning the Human Target while trying to kill Lex Luthor was under an Elseworlds label.

CES  

[Logan D. Hurricanes]

There Was Almost A Batman Meets Godzilla Movie Starring Adam West In The 1960s

[Hermit]

Saw League of Superpets, and you know, I didn't hate Black Adam, but I really liked Dwayne The Rock Johnson better as Krypto. A kid's movie with surprising heart. The real stand out was Kevin Hart as Ace who did the somber moments quite skillfully. And yes, Keanu Reeves is Batman

 

I also saw Shazam: Fury of the Gods. It is not as good as the first one, but I enjoyed it, perhaps because I was expecting it to be really bad and it wasn't ? I'd give it a 6.5 out of 10.

[slikmar]

I still feel like Levi is playing the character as a pre teen, as opposed to what his age is in the movies and how the actor playing him portrays. Otherwise, I enjoyed both Movies.

[Christopher R Taylor]

He is, but that's more consistent with the character's past (Billy Batson is supposed to be younger) and concept.  Plus the contrast works better.  And honestly, not ALL teens are totally cool and jaded.

[slikmar]

7 hours ago, Christopher R Taylor said:

He is, but that's more consistent with the character's past (Billy Batson is supposed to be younger) and concept.  Plus the contrast works better.  And honestly, not ALL teens are totally cool and jaded.

Agreed, but I still would think that he should be acting more like the other actor and less like pre-teen on sugar. Reminds me of Face/Off where both Cage and Travolta would have the other act out a part before stepping in and doing it themself to see how the character they were playing would have responded. I think there should be a certain amount of this.

Heck, even the animated JL series had him be a younger kid who was trying to act older as Marvel, even if his insides were doing the this is sooooo cool dance.

 

Edited May 10, 2023 by slikmar

[Hermit]

On 5/9/2023 at 12:02 PM, slikmar said:

I still feel like Levi is playing the character as a pre teen, as opposed to what his age is in the movies and how the actor playing him portrays. Otherwise, I enjoyed both Movies.

A fair gripe and observation... I think in my head canon I rationalized it as Billy as Billy feels when he's not super powered he needs to be more responsible and leader like, oddly when in his super powered form, he may feel he doesn't have to make the extra effort. It could even be  the influence of the Wisdom of Solomon ("Solo Man!") , in that as a regular teen he WANTS to be seen as an adult, but with the Wisdom of Solomon, he has more confidence to still joke around. To quote CS Lewis

“When I became a man I put away childish things, including the fear of childishness and the desire to be very grown up.”

 

 

But I admit that's a stretch 😮

[Christopher R Taylor]

Captain Marvel never has really lived up to his full acronym.  He's definitely not wise, and he's extremely rarely fast as Hermes (Black Adam did a good job with this, surprisingly).  But it makes for a great schtick, and it allowed writers to pull ridiculous stuff out of their hat without changing the character.  Technically he COULD do this stuff all along, but never did.

[csyphrett]

Modern writers dont get the Captain Marvel that stopped a space invasion by carving his own face on the moon. It turns out in this modern era when Shazam has killed Zeus that Zeus killed a god from another pantheon and put him in Achilles since invulnerability was not enough.

 

(as an aside I just realized Achilles and Accelerator both act the same way, even with a morality pet that keeps them on the path of good because they are both invulnerable.)

CES  

[Ranxerox]

On 5/7/2023 at 9:32 AM, Logan D. Hurricanes said:

There Was Almost A Batman Meets Godzilla Movie Starring Adam West In The 1960s

 

It is a shame.  I am sure that movie would have become a classic of sorts.

[Starlord]

https://www.superherohype.com/movies/534797-james-gunn-makes-bet-with-fan-over-superman-legacy

 

In a Twitter conversation, a user called @AppsConnor told Gunn that if Batman and Superman sit across from each other at a diner while chatting in a movie, they would eat one shoe. If the superheroes discuss how they could solve one another’s problems, the user would eat another shoe. Finally, if Batman interrupts Superman by saying “because I’m Batman,” they will eat a third shoe.

James Gunn replied to the user’s conditions, saying, “Ok. Good to know. Back to you in a few (years).”

[Hermit]

Someone is a fan of How It Should Have Ended

 

 

[Christopher R Taylor]

I... just don't buy James Gunn as a good choice to write Superman.

[Bazza]

Ditto. 

[Lord Liaden]

8 hours ago, Hermit said:

Someone is a fan of How It Should Have Ended

 

 

 

I have to wonder if James Gunn realized that if he actually put that in a movie, he'd be open to a lawsuit by an Internet channel with more subscribers than he'd probably get to see his movie.

[Bazza]

He could also claim “fair use”. #WorksBothWays 

[Hermit]

IMO the best way HISHE ended guys could handle that (if it happened) would be to milk it joyously. It could end up being almost free advertising for them. Just show that very clip from the movie, then 'pan out' to the HISHE Superman and Batman gaping with a "Whhaaaat?" and then either going "Best movie ever!" or "Yeah, like THAT would happen"

 

 

[Christopher R Taylor]

That is probably how it would go, I mean, youtubers seem to get what a lot of corporations do not: publicity is good, even if it seems to dig into your property.  I foresee a time when modern copyright laws will be all but gone.

[Hermit]

22 minutes ago, Christopher R Taylor said:

That is probably how it would go, I mean, youtubers seem to get what a lot of corporations do not: publicity is good, even if it seems to dig into your property.  I foresee a time when modern copyright laws will be all but gone.

 

I don't know about that last part. Historically, corporations have done their level best to extend copyrights via congress far beyond what was ever intended. But I should keep my full thoughts there to the political thread I suppose. I certainly hope the duration of copyright are vastly reduced from what they are now but I know not all agree

[Christopher R Taylor]

I think eventually, it will become so unenforceable that they just give up trying.  And I say this as an author and illustrator with copyrighted material.  There are already sites with my stuff on them that you can allegedly pay to download (whether they actually give you the product or not, or if its bundled with a virus, I cannot say).

[unclevlad]

I see where CRT's coming from...and Hermit.  For Hermit:  copyright has become largely a tool ONLY for the corporations to protect their profit streams.  The cost is not even close to worth the benefit for a small player.  I know of one case...a game that never had market share, but got caught up, for reasons too convoluted to examine here, in copyright issues.  Simply keeping a copyright lawyer on retainer cost him thousands per month.  Another case...this one is suspicion.  Dave Mottram is an illustrator, among other things.  His caffeinated owls drawings 

 

 

are awesome...LOVE them.  Those are his.  He sold mugs and t-shirts through Society6...one of the many such print-on-demand storefronts...but there've been massive, generally TERRIBLE, copies made...so he doesn't sell them any more.  I *speculate* it's due to copyright problems...he got usurped.  

To CRT's point:  the growing concern over music copyrights.  Ed Sheeran *won* his...by asserting what the Gaye estate tried to assert rights over, was just "common elements."  

And this doesn't even begin to discuss the impact of AI.

So...on smaller more atomic stuff like individual images, or even possibly short stories?  Copyright will become so unenforceable as to be dead in practice.  On novels, sound tracks, or movies, it will last longer.  It may collapse eventually...if you can't copyright any of the elements, it becomes harder and harder to copyright the combination.  Not impossible...just harder.

 

Also, when you toss out something like that on an internet channel, there's a pretty good chance it wouldn't be protected anyway.  

https://fairuse.stanford.edu/2003/09/09/copyright_protection_for_short/#:~:text=slogans%2C and other short phrases,not subject to copyright protection.

[Hermit]

Oh, I definitely don't think it is going to extend for the sake of 'small players' as you point out. But for big corporations? I think they'll keep it around as long as they can or even extend it in a 'rules for thee not me' way.

[unclevlad]

The distinction may devolve to "elements" vs. "overall package."  In general, it's harder to create an "overall package" on a small project.  Cap has a shield.  You can't protect "shields."  It's red, white, and blue.  Still a generic element.  You can copyright the total package:  round shield, red / white / red outer rings, blue inner circle with a star bullseye.  Probably the only part of Superman's costume that can be copyrighted, is the highly distinct logo...even then, I'm not sure what would be allowed as generic.  A blue S, on a white, square background, where the S is, oh, let's say the capital S from German Black Letter?  Probably wouldn't infringe, especially if it wasn't located center-chest.

 

In the world of watches, there are certain extremely well known (to watch people) designs and looks.  Then there's copycats, who re-use the same elements.  MOST of the time...that's legal, assuming there's no attempt to present my copy as your (many times more expensive, typically) original.  One iconic, EXTREMELY expensive watch has

--a recti-elliptical case...kind of a rectangle but with elliptically rounded corners.

--a horizontal deck-style dial...raised strip, flat strip, raised strip, flat strip,....

 

but I don't think that's copyrightable...and I've seen plenty like it to suggest, no, it's not.  The elements are a bit too generic.  There aren't *that* many different ways to provide visual interest on a watch dial, or to add some character to the case shape.  OTOH, I think Bell & Ross MAY have a copyright for their signature style:  the dial opening is round, but the case itself is square, specifically invoking the look of an old-time instrument.  It's that part that may make it non-generic.

 

IP law is...bizarre.  Especially at the stratospheric levels...the geeks among us, at least of a certain age, likely remember Apple vs. Microsoft, and Apple vs. Motorola...look and feel suits related to MacOS vs. Windows and iOS vs. Android.  Huge, ugly, and IIRC, ultimately worthy of a Macbeth Award.  

 

Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player that struts and frets his hour upon the stage and then is heard no more: it is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.

 

Because that was pretty much the end result...nothing.  Found this site that's worth a quick read:

https://www.abounaja.com/blogs/copyright-infringement-cases

 

Some of these cases turn on some...pretty narrow issues.

[Grailknight]

Ok, just saw The Flash and it was a mixed bag.

 

The opening action sequence is fairly nice, too bad it's mostly Batman.

 

Flash's powers are hugely inconsistent. He needs snacks to save civilians in a dangerous situation, but this never comes up when fighting the invading Kryptonians.

 

The "feels building" sequences are weak and even older Barry realizes younger Barry is annoying and immature, heck even young Barr realizes it.

 

Keaton's Bruce Wayne/Batman is on point. The best parts of the movie occur once he enters the picture.

 

The writing is fairly decent, especially around the serious parts of the film.

 

Barry's roommates are hilarious but could have been cut without disturbing the plot whatsoever.

 

The DC Multiverse shots are very well done. You even get to see the Nicolas Cage Superman.

 

The ending is pretty depressing, and the post credits scene is just there for laughs.

 

All in all, I'll give it a 2.5/5. There is a good movie in there but Miller's cringy Barry drags it down.

[Christopher R Taylor]

Unfortunately, like Black Adam, DC needs a hit out the park, not a meh, "its okay" movie.   Particularly one without a violent, insane, child grooming freak that nobody really likes.