Top 10 Anticipated Movies of 2013

10. The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (December 25th, 2013)
Director: Ben Stiller
Writer: Steve Conrad
Starring: Ben Stiller, Kristen Wiig, Patton Oswalt, Adam Scott, Shirley MacLaine
Studio: 20th Century Fox

Ben Stiller has proven himself a capable director in the past from The Cable Guy to Tropic Thunder, but here he may have his biggest challenge yet: modernizing a well-known short story from the 1940s. James Thurber’s tale involved a man who went through a day of mundane misery by daydreaming himself in fantastical situations like being a criminal on trial or a gunner in a war zone. Before any trailers were released, a set picture was released of Ben Stiller in old age makeup. I’m already calling for a Best Makeup and Hairstyling nomination for the film because he looks practically unrecognizable in it. Whatever the film will look like in the end is anybody’s guess.

9. R.I.P.D. (June 18th, 2013)
Director: Robert Schwentke
Writers: Phil Hay/Matt Manfredi
Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Jeff Bridges, Kevin Bacon, Stephanie Szostak, Mary Louise Parker
Studio: Universal Pictures

Ryan Reynolds has not been having any luck with comic book films – playing second banana to Blade in Blade: Trinity, having his mouth sewn up to play the world’s worst version of Deadpool in X-Men Origins: Wolverine and the less said about Green Lantern, the better. However, his newest entry into comic book films involves not superheroes, but the supernatural: ghosts. The graphic novel, “R.I.P.D.” features a dead cop being inducted into a paranormal police agency keeping the dead away from the living. Although the tone of the graphic novel was dramatic, the film will be a “PG-13 buddy comedy”. The buddy for Ryan Reynolds, in this case, is Academy Award-winner Jeff Bridges who appears to be playing Rooster Cogburn again. Whether or not this will revitalize Reynolds’ career remains to be seen, though many are already predicting doom and gloom.

8. Oz: The Great and Powerful (March 8th, 2013)
Director: Sam Raimi
Writers: David Lindsay-Abaire/Mitchell Kapner
Starring: James Franco, Mila Kunis, Rachel Weisz, Michelle Williams, Zach Braff, Joey King, Abigail Spencer, Bruce Campbell
Studio: Walt Disney Pictures


After the collapse of Spider-Man 4 and directing only Drag Me to Hell in 2009, Sam Raimi was a director without a studio. Then he was offered a new take on the magical world of Oz by Walt Disney Pictures. Previous attempts at securing Robert Downey Jr. and Johnny Depp as the star had failed until Raimi made a call to former Spider-Man co-star James Franco. Taking the chance to reinterpret Oz by referencing the L. Frank Baum books, while still paying homage to the classic 1939 film, Raimi makes his first family film about a man in need of a second chance and finds it in the least likely place. A bit autobiographical, perhaps?

7. The Lone Ranger (July 3rd, 2013)
Director: Gore Verbinski
Writers: Ted Elliott, Terry Rossio and Justin Haythe
Starring: Johnny Depp, Armie Hammer, Ruth Wilson, Tom Wilkinson, Helena Bonham Carter, Barry Pepper, James Badge Dale
Studio: Walt Disney Pictures


One might call Johnny Depp, "Disney's favored son". He is, inarguably, the studio's golden boy after the meteoric success of the Pirates of the Caribbean films and Alice in Wonderland. Naturally, they want to keep him happy so they can make more movies with him. This time, however, it may not have been as financially stable an idea as they might have hoped. The first sign of trouble came when a script leak revealed that the film had more supernatural ideas ("wendigo" - Native American werewolves) than the original television show. When fans revolted, Disney quietly had the script reworked into a more traditional Western. Then, Cowboys & Aliens came out and failed to find an audience. Disney freaked and temporarily pulled the plug on the production. Normally, this wouldn't be news and yet it became news. Some would say Verbinski got angry at Disney and leaked the information to Deadline Hollywood. Others say it was someone in Rich Ross' office that accidentally sent out the word and led to him getting fired a year later. However, the studio and the filmmakers eventually got the film rolling. The film does look interesting enough - I'm excited to see Armie Hammer after a doubly impressive turn in The Social Network and Depp is kookier than ever - but nothing has been seen that bears a strong resemblance to the famous television show. No "William Tell Overture", nor a "Hi-Yo Silver". Only time will tell if they made a wise decision.

6. Fast & Furious 6 (May 24th, 2013)
Director: Justin Lin
Writer: Chris Morgan
Starring: Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Dwayne Johnson, Jordana Brewster, Eva Mendes, Michelle Rodriguez, Gina Carano, Luke Evans
Studio: Universal Pictures

The Fast and The Furious franchise is one that many would not have seen being as long as it is now. While the first film (directed by Rob Cohen) was well-received, its sequel, 2 Fast 2 Furious (directed by John Singleton) was not; mostly, many claim, due to the absence of Vin Diesel (the face of the franchise). A third film, The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift, featured all new cast members with Diesel making a cameo appearance near the end of the film. When the sales of this film (directed by Justin Lin) peaked up, Universal brought back Lin, Diesel, co-star Paul Walker into a new film, Fast & Furious. This became Universal’s highest-grossing film of 2009. A sequel was quickly put together, Fast Five, moving the franchise from racing to heists. For the first time, critics were also not shy about their appreciation of the film. Now, with an all-star cast and a capable director, the adventures of Dominic Toretto and Brian O’Connor will continue.

5. Man of Steel (June 14th, 2013)
Director: Zack Snyder
Writer: David S. Goyer
Starring: Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Russell Crowe, Kevin Costner, Diane Lane, Michael Shannon, Christopher Meloni, Laurence Fishburne
Studio: Warner Bros. Pictures


In an interview for his 2009 film, Watchmen, director Zack Snyder said, “In this world, if Superman really existed, he’d grab all the world leaders together in a room and say, ‘Behave or I’ll kill you.’” Interesting look at a character he had no idea he’d soon be involved with. Whereas Watchmen was a deconstruction of superheroes, Man of Steel will feature the construction of one superhero, the first and greatest. With an A-list cast, producer Christopher Nolan, Snyder has been given full-reign over Superman, in the midst of an ongoing legal battle between DC Comics and the heirs of Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. If this film works, it will reinvent the character for a whole new generation of audiences. And if not, it’ll be Superman Returns all over again.

4. Oblivion (April 26th, 2013)
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Writers: Joseph Kosinski/William Monahan
Starring: Tom Cruise, Morgan Freeman, Melissa Leo, Zoe Bell
Studio: Universal Pictures


With TRON: Legacy, Joseph Kosinski is now the highest-grossing first-time director (beating out J.J. Abrams’ Mission: Impossible III). His next film would be based on a graphic novel that he helped to write and design, “Oblivion”. Originally set up as a project with Disney (along with a planned remake of The Black Hole), the executives decided the film wasn’t for the appropriate audience for the company and allowed Kosinski to take the film elsewhere. At Universal, Kosinski was allowed to make the movie however he wanted – too violent for Disney’s taste. Ironically, the film looks like a live-action version of Wall-E with the robots being played by humans – a wasteland worker finds a beautiful woman in cryogenic stasis and has to bring her aboard a starship in orbit.

3. Iron Man 3 (May 3rd, 2013)
Director: Shane Black
Writers: Drew Pence/Shane Black
Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, Jon Favreau, Guy Pearce, William Sadler, Rebecca Hall, James Badge Dale and Ben Kingsley
Studio: Walt Disney Pictures/Marvel Studios


Many say Robert Downey Jr.’s career resurgence really began with Shane Black’s Kiss Kiss Bang Bang. This was Black's first film as director, having written films like Lethal Weapon, The Last Boy Scout, Last Action Hero and The Long Kiss Goodnight. While Bang Bang was a great comedic detective story, the film was not distributed widely. However, it was seen by Jon Favreau. After his attempt at making a John Carter film was dashed, he was put in charge of making an Iron Man film. After seeing Downey’s performance, he demanded Marvel Studios allow him to make a screen-test. The rest is cinematic history. Downey played Tony Stark in Iron Man, a cameo scene at the end of The Incredible Hulk, Iron Man 2 and Marvel’s The Avengers. It's clear he knows and loves this character. Audiences love him playing this character. With 3, he says the film will delve into sides of Tony Stark we have not yet seen. The film is building a mystery around it: the Mandarin, Tony's Extremis armor, the destruction of his Malibu home, his crash-landing in the snow. What does it all mean? This is the question to be answered by a great mystery writer, by Shane Black.

2. Pacific Rim (July 12th, 2013)
Director: Guillermo del Toro
Writer: Travis Beacham
Starring: Charlie Hunnam, Idris Elba, Charlie Day, Rinko Kikuchi, Max Martini, Willem Dafoe, Robert Kazinsky, Clifton Collins Jr., Diego Klattenhoff, Ron Perlman
Studio: Warner Bros. Pictures


Guillermo del Toro hasn’t had the best of times lately. After finishing Hellboy: The Golden Army, he had planned to take over Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings franchise by writing and directing The Hobbit films. However, due to delays in pre-production and the sheer massive scale of Middle-Earth, del Toro left the projects (though he was still credited as co-writer) and Jackson got it back. From there, he teamed up with Disney and make family-friendly horror films under the division label “Disney Double Dare You” with films like Trollhunters and a reimagining of The Haunted Mansion. When that went under, del Toro tried to set up an adaptation of At the Mountains of Madness at Universal until they decided they were not going to give him the money. Finally, he was able to get a producing venture with DreamWorks Animation with films like Megamind, Kung Fu Panda 2 and Rise of the Guardians. Finally, Universal came calling with a film that plays to del Toro’s monster sensibilities – humans in giant robot suits fighting giant monsters. This is del Toro’s first feature film in five years. I think it looks fantastic and epic in scope. It's also nice to hear Ellen McLain doing her GLaDOS voice again. I hope, in that span of time, del Toro is ready to bring us his best.

1. Star Trek Into Darkness (May 17th, 2013)
Director: J.J. Abrams
Writers: Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman and Damon Lindelof
Starring: Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Karl Urban, Zoe Saldana, Simon Pegg, John Cho, Anton Yelchin, Bruce Greenwood, Benedict Cumberbatch, Alice Eve, Peter Weller
Studio: Paramount Pictures


After Star Trek '09 came out, I began looking into the old "Trek" series of shows and films. I had initially rejected anything "Trek" because it seemed too high-minded unlike the cool and easy-to-understand Star Wars. What I soon realized what that Trek is classical music and Wars was rock 'n roll. Abrams' Trek was a bit of both, but more on the side of rock 'n roll. It'll be nice to see these enjoyable characters back again on another adventure. The big mystery this time around is who Benedict Cumberbatch is really playing. Is it Khan? Is it Gary Mitchell? We've been told that the name of his character is John Harrison. However, others have mentioned that initially Liam Neeson was playing a character named Henri Ducard in Batman Begins. It wasn't until two-thirds of the movie revealed that Ducard was simply an alias for the much larger villain known as Ra's Al Ghul. Until we hear different, it is to assume that "John Harrison" is really the name of Cumberbatch's character and not just a Beatles nod. Still, I'm ready for a ride back into the final frontier.


Honorable Mentions:

The Last Stand
Warm Bodies
G.I. Joe: Retaliation
This Is The End
The Internship
Now You See Me
Monsters University
Frozen

Best of 2012

After the dismal returns of 2011, 2012 sprung to the challenge and gave us some of the best movies in years. Here's my Top 10 of 2012 list!

10. The Hunger Games


What could have been a stupid book adaptation of Twilight proportions was given a bit of dignity thanks to its director and lead actress. Gary Ross, who at the time hadn’t directed a movie since 2003’s Seabiscuit, was a pretty unconventional choice for director but he apparently had a love for the book and wanted to bring it to the screen any way he could. Jennifer Lawrence, once a sitcom co-star with Bill Engvall turned Oscar-nominee (Winter’s Bone), had once tried out for Bella in Twilight. Thankfully, that fell through and she was able to take up the strong character of Katniss Everdeen in this film. Sure, the film did eventually get its Twilight-esque following due to the “dreamy” romance between Katniss and Peeta (Josh Hutcherson), but at least it’s a romance of quality and not fantasy. Woody Harrelson and Elizabeth Banks turn in memorable performances (although her makeup is wild and his wig is questionable).

9. The Amazing Spider-Man


Reactions to a Spider-Man reboot after the fan-based failure of Spider-Man 3 and the death of Spider-Man 4 were pretty horrendous. However, I can honestly say that it was much better than I imagined it would be, though completely telling the origin story was completely unnecessary. Though it pains me to say, Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone look great together… which makes sense because they’re now a couple in real life – sigh. Martin Sheen and Sally Field are an interesting pairing for Uncle Ben and Aunt May. It’s certainly not easy following Cliff Robertson’s performance from Spider-Man and the film doesn’t try to upstage him (by not using the famous “With great power comes great responsibility”). Where I have problems with the film is in the characterization of Curt Connors/The Lizard, the plot points shown in the trailers that weren’t in the film and the non-nerdy Peter Parker. Still, it got all the niceties out of the way, and in 2014, we should get a sequel that can go anywhere (Jamie Foxx as Electro? Interesting…).

8. Katy Perry: Part of Me 3D


This documentary proves without a doubt that Katy Perry is the hardest-working woman in music today. With every concert, she goes out and gives it her all. Her rise to stardom is compelling, especially with her Pentecostal Christian upbringing. I appreciate that the film didn’t vilify all of Christianity but only the extremists. It’s a tragedy that Russell Brand was so cruel to her by ending their marriage due to his selfish ends; a mistake *I* certainly wouldn’t make, were I to be so lucky.

7. Argo


Ben Affleck has made the successful transition from your normal, everyday leading man to a more-than-competent director. His films aren’t blockbusters, but they make their money back and more so. He tells this impossible-to-believe-but-it-really-happened story about how the CIA and Hollywood teamed up in a secret operation to rescue six hostages held captive in Iran. The film deftly changes from thriller to comedy fairly well, though most of the humor arises from the supporting cast set in Hollywood – Alan Arkin and John Goodman.

6. Django Unchained


Though Quentin Tarantino is a filmmaker from the South, he’s never made a film IN the South. Not until now. This outrageous story of a kindly German bounty hunter and his new former slave protégé is hand-crafted by a master of movies all the way through. Taking homage from Django and other “spaghetti Westerns”, Tarantino has made what he calls, “a Southern”. There's a scene-stealer in each act: Christoph Waltz (Act I), Leonardo DiCaprio (Act II) and Samuel L. Jackson (Act III). DiCaprio's Calvin Candie is the definition of wicked and its so very clear he's finally allowing himself to have some fun with a role. It's funny, bloody, and cool - just like a Tarantino film should be.

5. Wreck-It Ralph


I can't blame a film for not being what I wanted it to be rather than what it is. While I would argue that the marketing was somewhat deceptive, it still doesn't change the content of the film. And by and by, Wreck-It Ralph is a good movie. I just feel there was enough potential in the story to have it be great and not get weighed down by Vanellope Von Schweetz essentially taking precedence over the title character of the story. The actors give great performances, in particular, John C. Reilly. It seems he was very dedicated to this movie, helping the filmmakers craft the story (culminating in a separate credit under "additional story material"). It's great that Disney Animation decided to do something different, that had nothing to do with Disney princesses (OR SO I THOUGHT) but they took a look at the world of video games and had some fun with it. Now if only Nintendo would let Disney make some animated movies off of their characters...

4. John Carter


Never have I seen a recent movie so badly beaten down by the Hollywood press machine. I mean, this was a WAR between Disney, Andrew Stanton and the crew against Nikki Finke and Deadline Hollywood. Trailer music was criticized, Stanton's ability to direct a live-action film was questioned, Disney's *dependence* on Pixar and John Lasseter was mocked. Yet, against all odds, John Carter was released and... bombed miserably. But then, something incredible happened. An underground swell of affection for the film led to John Carter Blu-Rays flying off the shelves in certain regions of the States. Facebook groups were dedicated to getting the cast and crew of the film “Back to Barsoom”. All over a science-fiction film with talented actors, great performance capture, practical sets and an amazing 100-year-old story to tell.

3. Cloud Atlas


It’s certainly an unusual storytelling experiment, but as Cloud Atlas urges you to “extend your patience for just a moment”, you’ll be rewarded with an immensely entertaining experience. The multiple genres are exercised very well – romance, drama, comedy, sci-fi and mystery/thriller. The cast bring all of themselves to their multiple characters and the makeup is dazzling. The Wachowskis and Tykwer took a chance on telling six parts of an unusual story and it's awe-inspiring in its epic scale and imagination.

2. The Dark Knight Rises


Though it seemed impossible to top the previous film, Christopher Nolan has brought an incredible curtain down on his Dark Knight trilogy. I've very rarely had chills sitting in a theater, but the ending to this film had me on pins and needles. This is what Christopher Nolan does best: he reins in audiences who are going in thinking one thing about a movie, but then turns them on a dime and manages to deliver a breathtaking surprise. I literally cannot wait to see what he does next.

1. Marvel’s The Avengers


What a surprise, huh? Going through this list, I could not find one that entertained me more than The Avengers. It's a thrilling superhero ride from start to finish and delivers exactly what we superhero movie fans want: all our favorite superheroes all together in one film. In that way, it's miraculous. No other film has put together heroes established in other films from different studios. Ever. Warner Bros. is now trying to repeat the meteoric success of Avengers with Justice League instead of doing separate films, introducing each hero. Arguably, this could also be in response to the failure of Green Lantern. I don't have much good feelings about that, because Warners does not have anyone with them who will take care of DC's characters the way Joss Whedon is with Disney/Marvel. That was genius of them to hire him on to not only oversee the stories of Phase 2 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe but also to develop a TV show, "Marvel's S.H.I.E.L.D." (one that will presumably have more than one season). In all, Avengers is a honest and true love letter to the Marvel Comics characters co-created by the master Stan Lee. Who could ask for better than that?

Honorable Mentions
Haywire
Lincoln
The Pirates! Band of Misfits
Prometheus

WRECK-IT RALPH: Game On

Note: Mild spoilers can be found in this review. - Zack

Translating video games into film is never an easy task. Especially for the Walt Disney Company. Their first venture into the world of gaming was in 1982 with the sci-fi adventure film TRON, starring Jeff Bridges. Then came Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time and TRON: Legacy from 2010. All three films weren’t box-office blockbusters but found life after theaters on Blu-Ray/DVD. It seemed as though Disney couldn’t break through to gamers. So they decided to Wreck their way through to gamers. Walt Disney Animation Studios, headed by John Lasseter, released a new kind of video game movie, Wreck-It Ralph.


In the arcade game “Fix-It Felix Jr.”, Wreck-It Ralph (voice of John C. Reilly) is a regular guy with enormous size and strength stuck doing the same old shtick: destroying an apartment building only to be thwarted by Fix-It Felix Jr. (voice of Jack McBrayer). He confesses to his fellow peers that he doesn’t want to be a bad guy anymore. Everyone believes that Ralph is crazy; that he should just accept what he is, no matter how hard it seems. At a 30th anniversary for the game, one of the apartment tenants sarcastically tells him the only way he could be a hero is if he wins a medal like Felix.

Undeterred, Ralph jumps from his own game to another game: a next-gen first-person shooter game called “Hero’s Duty”, led by the no-nonsense space Marine, Sgt. Calhoun (voice of Jane Lynch). After being terrified by the new, “scary” world, Ralph gets his medal but before he can return to his own game, he is accidentally propelled into another game world: the kart-racing game, “Sugar Rush”.

Once there, Ralph meets a bratty little girl named Vanellope Von Schweetz (voice of Sarah Silverman) who steals his medal for payment into a race to be on the roster for the arcade players, headed by the goofy King Candy (voice of Alan Tudyk). After settling their differences, Ralph and Vanellope reluctantly team up to get a new kart for her to race in so she can get his medal back. Meanwhile, Felix has noticed Ralph has gone missing and joins Sgt. Calhoun in tracking him down. They realize that Ralph’s game-jumping has caused a potential travesty that could bring down the whole arcade. Still, no one realizes there is an even more dangerous threat lurking in the shadows.

Like The Muppets a year ago, I find myself unusually conflicted in my opinion of this film. I’m not afraid to say I liked it, I just can’t say I loved it. The first hour of the film is hilarious (not on par with The Emperor’s New Groove which moves at a faster pace): all the great cameos and all the great jokes are there. Who would’ve guessed Disney would okay a film with a zombie getting his heart ripped out and the phrase, “Thanks, Satan”? Fantastic.

But the problems really start with “Hero’s Duty”. After a brief battle, Ralph decides not to regroup with the rest of the troops and climbs up the tower for his medal. At the top, he’s able to get the medal. WAY TOO EASY. It might be unfair to compare this film to Raiders of the Lost Ark, but I’m gonna do it anyway: it makes you care more about the character if you see him work hard to get what he wants. Ralph simply climbs the building and gets his medal. No booby traps. No predicaments. I realize it would have made the movie longer include them, but at least it would have sold me on being a real game.

And then we get to “Sugar Rush” and Vanellope. Sigh. I have nothing against Sarah Silverman. I wouldn’t consider myself a fan of hers. The only thing I’ve enjoyed her in was her two-part episode on “Star Trek: Voyager”, “Future’s End”, portraying a 20th century astrologer who comes across members of the Voyager crew. Other than that, I’ve not seen most of her comedy career (yes, I know she was in School of Rock, but I didn’t enjoy her in that). The ending involves the reset of the game and the reveal that Vanellope is actually a princess. In a movie about video games, in a time when Disney is doing their damndest to appeal to boys by buying Marvel and Lucasfilm (did notice a few Star Wars references in the film), why on Earth include a plug for Disney Princesses? WHY?! It’s so grating to get this far into the film and then suddenly have the film shift more towards girls. Can Disney NOT make an animated film without including a princess of some kind? (You: “Winnie-the-Pooh.” Me: “Shut up!”)

One good positive I can say is I did genuinely not see the final reveal of the true villain of the film coming. Was it scary to me? No, not really. It was genuinely creepy, but if I was a five-year-old sitting in that audience? I’d be scared out of my mind! Yeah, maybe they should have lost the other “persona” of the character and just make the character flat-out scary, but it was fine to me. Hearing that voice threaten to kill Ralph was a nice contrast to his appearance. So I suppose in that way, it works. At least we have an animated Disney villain who does not die due to falling.

In all, I can say that the pros of Wreck-It Ralph outweigh the very noticeable cons. It’s a good film that *could* have been great. There’s been talk of a sequel; naturally, the film was Walt Disney Animation Studios’ biggest opening ever at $48 million. If the problems I’ve mentioned above are no longer there, it will make for a much better film. Wreck-It Ralph has genuine laughs and genuine heart, but it does not present itself to its audience as they thought it would be rather than what it wants to be.

P.S. The short "Paperman" is nothing less than beautiful. Why can't Disney animate a whole movie like this? It'd be fantastic!

P.P.S. Stay until the end of the credits.

The Mouse Strikes Back

The unthinkable has happened.

"There's no going back. You've changed things. Forever."

- The Joker (Heath Ledger), The Dark Knight (2008)

"Whoa, this is heavy."

- Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox), Back to the Future (1985)

"You've just taken your first step into a larger world."

- Obi-Wan Kenobi (Alec Guiness), Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope

Back in 1977, George Lucas could not have been more depressed. He had been in the middle of this science-fiction picture that seemed doomed to fail. The actors found it hard to take seriously, the special effects were late and unimpressive and the crew often mutinied against him. After it was all finished, 20th Century Fox began printing the film and sent it off to theaters. Then came May 25th, 1977. The day Lucas' life changed forever. Star Wars was the greatest film phenomenon anyone had ever seen. Soon, sequels followed - Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back and Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi. Both films were massive box-office hits, which provided millions of dollars in merchandising. In the 90s, after assisting Steven Spielberg with the visual effects in Jurassic Park, Lucas saw that computer generated graphics had finally become acceptable to continue with his vision of future Star Wars films.

Then came the prequels. Fans around the world revolted against George Lucas, blaming him for devaluing their favorite film series. Midichlorians, Anakin Skywalker, Jar Jar Binks and Darth Vader screaming the word, "NOOOOO!" all irritated fans to no end. There seemed to be no pleasing them. Lucas then allowed "Robot Chicken" and "Family Guy" to spoof the Star Wars films; giving others a chance to take a shot at his failures but also allow them to pay tribute to his successes. 5 years after Revenge of the Sith, a new Star Wars film came to theaters; but with a twist. The CG-animated Star Wars: The Clone Wars was released in later summer 2008 to dismal reviews, but it helped launch a massively successful animated TV series under the same name. This helped to win back old fans and got new fans. This seemed to be the course Star Wars had been fated to for the near future. Of course, in the Star Wars universe, things have a way of changing...

On October 30th, the Walt Disney Company announced that they had made a deal to acquire Lucasfilm Ltd. and their family of companies including Industrial Light & Magic, LucasArts and Skywalker Sound. In addition, this deal included the highly lucrative Star Wars and Indiana Jones franchise and characters. This was the biggest acquisition by Disney since their purchase of Marvel Entertainment in 2009. In the below video, George Lucas discusses what led him to this decision, putting long-time film producer Kathleen Kennedy in charge of Lucasfilm and his impending retirement.


WAIT. WHAT DID THEY JUST SAY?! A new Star Wars film?! Episode VII?!

"The last Star Wars movie release was 2005's Revenge of the Sith - and we believe there's substantial pent-up demand. In 2015, we're planning to release Star Wars Episode 7 - the first feature film under the 'Disney-Lucasfilm' brand. That will be followed by Episodes 8 and 9 - and our long-term plan is to release a new Star Wars feature film every two to three years."

- Bob Iger, CEO of The Walt Disney Company

So let me get this straight. George Lucas, the man who created Star Wars, who has been saying for years, "There will never ever be Episodes 7-9. When I said that in the '70s, I was kidding. I didn't realize I'd be the same age as Mark, Carrie and Harrison," has now given up all say to the franchise he created to one of the biggest corporations of all time? And they're planning to make more of the most beloved science-fantasy film series of all time?

My initial reaction was like this:


("What's going on? Is this a joke? Episode 7?! Come on, that's never happening. Somebody's hacked into Disney's mainframe or something.")
But then the validity was solidified.

And then my reaction was like this:

Let's face it. There's no better home for Star Wars than Disney. Lucasfilm wasn't going to do anything major with Star Wars other than "Star Wars: The Clone Wars". Disney will take the reins from Lucas (willingly) and implement it in all the ways they can. This means all new merchandise: toys, video games, comic books, etc. Did Disney have to start making more Star Wars movies now that they have Lucasfilm? Absolutely not. They simply could have held onto the endless moneymaking that could come from all the licensing from Star Wars. But they were interested in keeping the saga alive for the future generations (and continue making money from it).

It's like when Disney bought Marvel three years ago. Fans revolted, thinking Disney was going to water down their characters into family-friendly babies. Instead, they put an actual Marvel comics writer (Whedon) in charge of their biggest film, Marvel's The Avengers. The Hulk didn't become Mickey Mouse. Black Widow didn't become Hannah Montana. The film made $1.5 billion and was embraced by fans worldwide. Disney and Marvel are committed to taking their characters and making them international phenomenons. 

Disney and Lucasfilm can finally start making a brand new Star Wars theme park. The reason we haven't gotten anything outside of "Star Tours" and the "Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular" stateside is because Lucasfilm reportedly signed an agreement with Disney that said they could never open a Star Wars/Indiana Jones theme park in the United States. Now that they're together, all's fine and anything is on the table. I'm still waiting on that Tony Stark Expo, by the way.

What can Disney to satisfy these angry fans? Well, for one thing they can release the original, unaltered trilogy in high definition on Blu-Ray. And I'm not one of those fans who are enraged at ALL the changes Lucas made to the series. The only ones that bother me:

• R2 hiding behind more rocks. It makes no ounce of sense, how would he have gotten behind there? (Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope)

• Greedo shooting first. When even Lucas is wearing a "Han Shot First" shirt and doesn't change the scene back for the Blu-Ray, that's just wrong. (Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope)

• Darth Vader yelling "Noo!" picking up the Emperor and tossing him over the side. I get that the movies are meant to be poetic, but by this point it makes Vader look stupid. (Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi)

Only problem is, Fox still holds the "in perpetuity" rights to Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope. They hold all the rest of the movies until May 2020. Now, Disney can always throw down a lump sum of cash, but Fox has been burned by Disney before: Chronicles of Narnia, anyone? Still, there have been some hints that Fox is willing to let bygones be bygones and play nice. I'm sure they'd ask for a cut of the profits. Still, there is some doubt as to whether Lucas would surrender the original 1977 prints. If he's willing to sell off the entire Star Wars franchise, what more worth does the original film prints have for him?

Now that there will be a brand new Star Wars film for the first time in a decade (unless one counts The Clone Wars), of course everybody wants to know who will be in the movie, what the new story is, and who will direct the film. I was pleased to hear that Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher were the first ones told about Lucas agreeing to have the sequel trilogy made. Hamill seems to be interested in coming back as Luke Skywalker. This is great, considering that by Jedi, Luke is no longer whining about, "going to Toschi Station to pick up some power converters" (which makes for a funny joke in "Robot Chicken"). He's a mature warrior who is ready to face his destiny. Seeing Hamill over the years just goes to show you his quiet wisdom and wry sense of humor. And of course, being the best voice for the Joker ever. He could easily pick up the character today.

Something refreshing to know about the new Star Wars films is that Lucas will be contributing story ideas, but beyond that, he'll have no real power. What does this mean? It means we're going to see a whole new direction for Star Wars. Uncharted territory. It won't be based on books, video games or anything authors have come up with. Luke, Leia and Han will be facing new adventures at the hands of whoever gets chosen to write the film.
The last major thing to wonder about the next Star Wars movie is who will be in the director's chair. With Lucas out of the pictures, hopefully the movies will move in a much faster pace ala J.J. Abrams' Star Trek. Yet all the names that have been thrown around from Brad Bird to Matthew Vaughn will not be chosen. Why? Because they are already busy!! This was a SURPRISE announcement. Most of everybody's suggestions are already in the midst of making new films. The Disney/Lucasfilm announcement stressed that the new films would be made with the involvement of "the new generation of filmmakers". So literally any director born after 1970 is eligible. But, really, let's not kid ourselves. Who in their right mind would take this job? Seeing all the trouble George Lucas has had to put up with for the last 25 years, and the amount of fanboys' eyeballs that would be following your every movement. It's not easy to think about.

Still, if Disney takes the same approach with Lucasfilm that they did with Marvel and Pixar, we're all in for a big surprise come 2015. Unless Max Spielberg decides he suddenly wants to do Jaws 19.

CLOUD ATLAS: Six Stories, One Adventure

Note: This review may contain minor spoilers, including videos of the actors in their various character guises (some which should be kept a surprise for first-time viewers). - Zack

The Wachowskis, Andy and Lana, were discouraged. Their latest film, Speed Racer - a high-octane family action movie - failed to find an audience (years later, it was finally accepted) in the midst of a superhero-ruled summer of 2008. Then, they met with director Tom Tykwer, most famous for directing the entertainingly repetitive Run Lola Run. Sensing a kinship, the three began meeting regularly and Lana Wachowski remembered a novel that Natalie Portman had given her on the set of V for Vendetta, a film the Wachowskis produced.

The novel was "Cloud Atlas", a 2004 book written by David Mitchell. Featuring different characters with different genres across different time periods, both the Wachowskis and Tykwer felt this was something they had to bring to the screen. After taking the multiple plots and characters and condensing them into one script, the filmmakers approached Mitchell himself for permission to move forward. The Wachowskis were fearful of rejection; they had previously dealt with the infamously reclusive and Hollywood-hating Alan Moore, writer of the original V for Vendetta graphic novel (and Watchmen). Fortunately, Mitchell was nothing but supportive and even remarked, "This could be one of the few film adaptations better than the book."


However, one more obstacle stood in their way: getting the movie financed. The Wachowskis and Tykwer often found it hard to describe to studios what exactly the movie would look like. Even after acquiring name actors like Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Hugo Weaving, Susan Sarandon and Jim Broadbent, the studios were still wary. They then decided to seek out non-studio investors in Europe and Asia. When the filmmakers had enough money that they wouldn't put themselves under, Warner Bros. finally agreed to distribute the film in the United States, with Focus Features handling the international release.

1849, The Pacific Ocean. Adam Ewing (Jim Sturgess) is a shipwrecked lawyer dying from a mysterious illness. Ewing desperately wants to return home to San Francisco to see his wife, Tilda (Doona Bae) again. His physician, Henry Goose (Tom Hanks), tends to him daily. Along the way, he also bonds with an African slave named Autua (David Gyasi). Both are more than they seem; one has the best of intentions and the other has much darker motives.

1935, Scotland. Robert Frobisher (Ben Whishaw) is a young aspiring musician working for an established composer, Vyvvyan Ayrs (Jim Broadbent). Challenged by Ayrs to write a new piece of music that he's only dreamed about, Frobisher creates the "Cloud Atlas Sextet", inspired by his secret romance with Rufus Sixsmith (James D'Arcy). However, the music Frobisher and Ayrs bond over may prove to be more dangerous than they think.

1973, San Francisco. Luisa Rey (Halle Berry) is an ambitious journalist wanting to break through a story involving a nuclear power plant mogul (Hugh Grant), whose company is in the process of building a nuclear reactor. She happens upon a meek scientist (Hanks) who reluctantly agrees to help her out, though they are closely watched by a paid assassin (Hugo Weaving). Rey is undeterred and uses her wits and a sympathetic security guard (Keith David) to unleash the truth.

2012, London. Timothy Cavendish (Broadbent) is a tabloid reporter who has just signed a publishing deal with an unstable mobster (Hanks). When the mobster is arrested for murder and his brothers threaten him for  a large sum of money, Cavendish goes on the run and takes refuge at a nursing home run by a megalomaniac nurse (Weaving). Mysteriously, no one in charge at the nursing home will allow Cavendish to leave.

2144, Neo Seoul. A young waitress clone named Somni-451 (Bae), working in an underground café, is caught up in a political conspiracy when it is discovered she is the key in a plan of revolution. She meets a stranger (Sturgess) who tells her she doesn't know how important she is yet. Together, she has to outrun her oppressive government in order to survive.

Post-apocalypse, Hawaii. A benevolent islander, Zachry (Hanks), discovers a woman (Berry) who is a member of a once prosperous but now lost society and agrees to assist her in re-establishing contact with her people. Zachry is constantly berated by a being known as Old Georgie (Weaving), the devil to his native people. As they travel, he overcomes his fears and doubts in himself to become a true hero.

Still here? Great. A lot to take in, right? You definitely get your money's worth with this movie. It's good to have the Wachowskis back again making movies; likewise, I saw Run Lola Run in my "Introduction to Film" college course, so I was excited to see what Tom Tykwer brought to the project. Together, the three of them are the only ones to capture this unwieldy novel on film. Each section is told with care and detail that accentuates the actors' performances. Speaking of which, the ensemble cast is fascinating. Every main actor is literally given something to do in each section; keep an eye out for them. Most of their work in the film is under extensive makeup (without any digital add-on assistance). This allows men to play women, women to play men, black people to play white people, etc. The genres in the film are just as diverse as the cast: sci-fi, drama, comedy, romance, thriller. Six movies in one, with a central storyline and universe. Take that, Disney/Marvel!

Different faces, different places. Yet all have the ties that bind: a story about one soul transforming from a villain to a hero. To be fair, there have been films with similar cinematic structure - 1916's Intolerance, 1993's Being Human and 2006's The Fountain. However, none of these films have been done on the modern-day, massive scale that the Wachowskis and Tykwer are bringing to it. It is immense. Regardless of how the film does box office-wise, Cloud Atlas is a happy anomaly: perhaps we may never see a film made like this again, but because we have it, it's that much more special and endearing. It may not grab everyone, and it's really not meant to. Those are willing to accept it on its terms reap the rewards. Again and again and again and again...

P.S. I will definitely have to see this film theatrically one more time. Once to absorb it, once to appreciate it more.

P.P.S. Am I the only one who thinks The Matrix universe shouldn't have ended on the sequels? Let the Wachowskis write/direct more movies centered around DIFFERENT characters in the same universe. 

ARGO: A Fake Movie, A Real Thriller

“So you wanna come to Hollywood and act like a big shot without actually doing anything?”

“Yeah.”

“You'll fit right in.”

- John Chambers (John Goodman) and Tony Mendez (Ben Affleck) Argo (2012)

In the early 2000s, Ben Affleck was at an all-time high. His love life had went from the disastrous breakup between him and Jennifer Lopez to the miraculous marriage between him and Jennifer Garner. The tabloids couldn’t get enough of him. Unfortunately, the movie theaters had too much of him. Movies like Paycheck, Jersey Girl (directed by his friend Kevin Smith) and Surviving Christmas were massive failures. Then, he began co-writing a new film, Gone Baby Gone in 2007. He made it his directorial debut. Critics cheered and praised his work. 

Affleck said of his newfound career: “Directing a movie was really instinctive for me. I learned a lot about writing, and a lot about acting, and I learned how all the pieces fit together from the inside. That was really valuable. It was a good thing.” He continued with directing with 2010’s The Town. Critics were again impressed and the box office reflected the goodwill. The following year, Affleck began a new film based on a previously untold story set during the 1979 Iran hostage crisis. Filmmakers making a film about not making a film.

In 1979, Iran was in a state of political turmoil. Islamic radicals stormed the U.S. Embassy and took hostages. However, six Americans managed to escape out a back door and take refuge at the Canadian ambassador’s house. The CIA began putting together plans to getting them out. Tony Mendez (Affleck), an “exfiltration” expert, threw out his superior’s ridiculous ideas and came up with an even more ridiculous idea. Inspired by his son, Mendez explained that he would go to Iran, give the Americans the guise of a Canadian film crew of a low-budget science-fiction film and sneak them back home.

In order to legitimize the plan, Mendez met with Oscar-winning makeup artist and CIA contact John Chambers (John Goodman) and Lester Siegel (Alan Arkin), Hollywood producer. Together they came up with Argo, a clear Star Wars rip-off. Something that needed an exotic location to film in: Iran. After the preparations, Mendez flew to Tehran to meet with the Americans. They react initially with distrust and skepticism. However, Mendez’s resolve to get them home wins them over and they participate in his false charade. What happened then was a story that could only be told in a real movie about a fake movie.

This normally isn’t my kind of film, but the Hollywood angle, of course, attracted me. It’s also my favorite part of the film. Goodman and Arkin are the clear MVPs of the film, playing the comic relief in between the harrowing political drama in Iran. Speaking of which, why hasn’t anyone made a film about the life of John Chambers, ala Confessions of a Dangerous Mind? The guy was in charge of creating the makeup for the Apes of the Planet of the Apes franchise and the ears of Mr. Spock. Yet, he also was one of the CIA’s best civilian contacts. That is a wonderful contradiction that could play out in a feature. Maybe someday.

Affleck is a great director, paying great homage in the details to the time period; specifically beginning the film with the retro Warner Bros. logo from the ‘70s. He shot on film and blew up the images to create graininess. That kind of respect to the old school isn’t found in most young Hollywood directors. However, I would argue it came at a cost. Affleck as an actor in this film seems relatively bland. He legitimately has no emotion other than determination. Even when he’s cursing out his boss (Bryan Cranston), he’s just so calm and deliberate and not shouting or screaming. I can understand that it’s tough to be directing a shot and then step in front of the camera and play a scene. Leonard Nimoy described his role as director/actor in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home as “wrenching”. Affleck has said he’ll never direct a film that he won’t star in. I’d humbly ask him to reconsider that decision.

Still, Argo is a compelling film that throws out the politics when it comes to both Hollywood and international governments and simply tells a story of an unbelievable rescue mission in the middle of a tense situation. The history is given in a very respectable way for those audience members who may not be aware of it, which is very helpful.  It’s an edge-of-your-seat thriller with some humorous elements. It’ll be a definite contender for Best Picture, Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor.

PEANUTS to Return to the Big Screen

Note: I tried writing this article for GeekTyrant. They said no. I tried writing this article for WeGotThisCovered. They said no. Competitive writing is extremely stressful sometimes. Where they fail, you gain. Thanks - Zack

For over 50 years, the characters in Peanuts created by Charles M. Schultz have captivated children and adults of all ages with their witty humor, lovable nature and quirky behaviors. Television specials like "A Charlie Brown Christmas" and "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" have become perennial classics around the holiday season. Four feature-length animated films were made with the characters - 1969's A Boy Named Charlie Brown, 1972's Snoopy, Come Home, 1977's Race for Your Life, Charlie Brown (often called the best and most-remembered of the four) and 1980's Bon Voyage, Charlie Brown (and Don't Come Back!!). A popular off-Broadway show, "You're  A Good Man, Charlie Brown", is still performed around the world today. The characters have most recently begun to appear in Metlife commercials; Snoopy has been their long-time mascot, but until recently, had appeared alone in the commercials.

But now, the "Peanuts" gang are about to have their biggest media expansion to date. 20th Century Fox and Blue Sky Studios, the folks behind the Ice Age films, the Rio films, Robots, Dr. Seuss' Horton Hears a Who and the upcoming Epic, have reached a deal with Charles M. Schultz's family. The son and grandson of Schultz, Craig and Brian, have co-written a script that will be directed by Steve Martino (Horton Hears  A Who, Ice Age: Continental Drift). The film will be released on November 25, 2015; five days after The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part II (great decision, Fox...).

With Blue Sky behind the animation, it's obvious the film will be in CG. I'm not sure how I feel about these characters being pulled into 3D, when for the past 50 years, they've been in 2D. Consider me cautiously optimistic. I'm just worried about who they'll get to do the voices of the characters. If, for some dark reason, Justin Bieber is cast as Charlie Brown, I will vehemently refuse to see it.

My Top 11 Favorite Looney Tunes Cartoons

There are very few characters out there that can make the world laugh like they can. For decades, they've delighted audiences everywhere with their ridiculous antics, insane rivalries, and wacky adventures. They are the Looney Tunes.

I watch the 30 minutes of classic "Looney Tunes" on Cartoon Network on every morning. I love that they are uncut and presented in their best quality. Though at the same time, I'm a bit disturbed that so many references to suicide are included. In one cartoon, after Pepe Le Pew has been rejected so many times, he pulls out a gun, walks off screen and pulls the trigger! I was like, "WHAAT?!" Of course, he was fine, but that's an incredibly dark moment in that character's psyche. Even still, it just goes to show you that back then, cartoons weren't made to just make kids laugh. They were made to make EVERYBODY laugh. 

So today, I've decided to talk about my top 11 favorite Looney Tunes cartoons. Why Top 11? "Because I like to go one step beyond."

11. Wabbit Twouble (1941)
Directed by Robert Clampett ("Wobert Cwampett")



Elmer decides to leave behind the woes of the city and seek a "westful wetreat [with] west and wewaxation" at Jellostone National Park (predating Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park by about 20 years). However, after he arrives at his campsite, he realizes he's not alone as Bugs is there and prepared to give him as much trouble as he can stand. In the middle of a trick, Bugs confesses to the audience, "I do this sort of thing to him all through the picture". You might notice that Elmer is fat here, whereas in other appearances he is thin. This was because the WB animators believed that a fatter Elmer (mirroring his voice actor Arthur Q. Bryan and his physique) would be funnier. After a few cartoons, they decided it would be better to slim him down. Personally, I think his added makes you feel bad for Elmer, considering here he's not portrayed as a hunter. He's plenty dumb, but sometimes too much is too much; keeping him slim in his hunting outfit and giving him a gun keeps him lovable but not pitiful. 

10. My Favorite Duck
Directed by Chuck Jones


This was the first time (and thank goodness, not the last) that Daffy and Porky were put together. Porky's out on a camping trip where he encounters the incessant Daffy, who (like Bugs to Elmer from #11) proceeds to give him a hard time. One of the main differences between Clampett and Jones as directors is that Clampett would go for the easy joke; not that they're bad, mind you. Jones adds little acting touches in the animation that makes the situation even funnier without either character having to say a word. Examples including Daffy eyeballing Porky, Porky realizing he's been had by Daffy after drying off with a towel, Daffy fashioning Porky with a bonnet and that great shot of Daffy realizing he's in trouble while Porky grins evilly. Something that bothers me though: giving Porky a shotgun. Maybe it's just me.

9. The Wabbit Who Came to Supper (1942)
Directed by Friz Freleng


We've come back again to Bugs and Fat Elmer. In the midst of a hunting trip, Elmer (suspiciously without his hunting gear; who goes hunting in a bowler hat and a tie?) receives a telegram from his dying Uncle Louie. As long as Elmer never harms another animals "especiawwy wabbits", he will inherit $3 million. This prompts Bugs to follow Elmer home and irritate him as much as possible. This cartoon is notorious for a brief shot of Bugs exiting a shower and a slight droop of a towel reveals Bugs' "doodle". Warner Bros. has tried to suggest that's not what people think it is, it's just a brief look at the tub from between Bugs' legs. Nope, it's a "doodle". A surprising shot at Disney is Bugs commenting, "Hey, this scene oughta get me the Academy Award" while "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" plays briefly in the background. In fact, Fantasia did end up taking two honorary Academy Awards. Disney never made fun of the "Looney Tunes", but that's what makes WB's cartoons so irreverent.

9. A Pest in the House (1947)
Directed by Chuck Jones


One of the great unsung duos in the Looney Tunes' history is that of Elmer and Daffy. They balance each other so well with Daffy's inherent madcap nature and Elmer's more cautious and reluctant behavior. A few cartoons did take advantage of this from the silly To Duck or Not To Duck ("Daffy 'Good to His Mother' Duck") and the slightly racist Wise Quackers ("Yessir, Massah Elmer"). Elmer is the proprietor of a hotel and Daffy is his loyal bellboy ("bellduck"?). In walks a very tired muscular man who demands peace and quiet, "BECAUSE IF I'M DISTURBED AT ANY TIME, I'M GONNA PUNCH YOU RIGHT IN THE NOSE!". Daffy doesn't get the message and causes untold audio damage. My favorite moment is when Daffy has heard a funny joke and is laughing so hard when he tries to describe it to the poor guy. "HE ASKED THE FARMER -- HAHA -- HE ASKED THE FARMER!" Every time I see that, I get a smile on my face.

8. Operation: Rabbit (1952)
Directed by Chuck Jones


Wait a second! Wile E. Coyote can talk?! Yes, indeed, Mel Blanc did provide the voice for the famous coyote in a few cartoons; Blanc used a slightly more "know-it-all" lilt to his own voice. It's quite a shock for those who have only seen the numerous Road Runner cartoons. Bugs meets his new neighbor, Wile E. Coyote, "genius". The Coyote proclaims he is going to eat Bugs for supper, on account that he is faster and larger than Bugs is. Of course he learns, when facing an opponent as cunning as Bugs Bunny, one often has to go back to the drawing board. Two of my personal favorite line deliveries in any "Looney Tunes" cartoons are Wile E. desperately exclaiming, "Oh no..." as he realizes he's about to be caught in an explosion and his final line, "Allow me to introduce myself, my name is Mud". It's a testament to the "sheer, unadulterated brilliance" of a master vocal performer as Mel Blanc.

7. Daffy Dilly (1948)
Directed by Chuck Jones


I first saw this cartoon as part of the '80s "Looney Tunes" anthology film, Daffy Duck's Quackbusters (which completely fails to capture the possibilities of the Looney Tunes characters with Ghostbusters references). It's this cartoon that launches Daffy into his paranormal investigations agency featured in the film. Daffy, here a down-on-his-luck prank salesman ("salesduck"?), hears about J.B. Cubish, a local millionaire who is offering $1 million to anyone who can make him laugh before he dies. Willing to give it a try (by using Sylvester's catchphrase "Sufferin' Succotash"; Daffy's voice is actually Sylvester's, but simply sped-up), Daffy goes over to Cubish's place where he encounters a stubborn butler willing to kill Daffy rather than let him get the $1 million. Daffy eventually decides to scare the butler away by accusing him of wanting his master dead. Fearing for his life, the butler flees. It's a classic Daffy cartoon that doesn't always get the appreciation I think it should.

6. Hare Brush (1955)
Directed by Friz Freleng


After countless Bugs vs. Elmer cartoons, you could imagine that the WB animators were desperately seeking a way to find to keep the characters fresh. In this cartoon, they did the last thing anybody suspected: completely reverse the roles between Elmer and Bugs. During a board meeting, millionaire Elmer bounds in on all fours and chomps on a carrot like a rabbit. Elmer is immediately thrown into an insane asylum. As Bugs is wondering by, Elmer is able to trick him into taking his place in the asylum. As Elmer hops away, Bugs is taken away by a doctor who, mistaking him for Elmer, hypnotizes him into believing he is Elmer. Suprisingly, it works and Bugs begins to behave like Elmer. Once he is released, Bugs goes hunting in Elmer's clothes and finds Elmer dressed like a rabbit. The usual shenanigans ensue, just from different perspectives. Something intriguing to note is that in the beginning of the short: Elmer clearly pronounces the word "rabbit" rather than his usual "wabbit". Elmer drops a huge hint that he might not actually be crazy at the end of the cartoon. It's really refreshing and a bit strange to see the role-reversal here, but it's really well-done.

5. The Old Grey Hare (1944)
Directed by Robert Clampett


There are a few "Looney Tunes" cartoons that try to explain the origins of the conflict between Bugs and Elmer, but this is the one that I accept for myself. Elmer is shown crying to himself about how he'll never be able to catch Bugs. Suddenly, "the voice of God" (I question this; not that I don't believe in God - I do - but I don't think the Almighty would use time travel to help a hunter kill a talking rabbit, but that's just me) tells Elmer that he will eventually catch Bugs. The voice takes him far into the future -- 2000 A.D. ("GWACIOUS!") -- and Elmer wakes up as an old man. After making a few jokes that made sense then and are pretty dated by now, Bugs shows up, just as elderly as Elmer. A short chase ensues, with Elmer finally "shooting" Bugs with his Buck Rogers gun. As he lies "dying", Bugs remembers the first time he and Elmer met as babies. I love the scene where Baby Bugs pulls over Baby Elmer in his stroller and then proceeds to slap the $#*! out of him and hit him with a baseball bat. It never fails to make me smile. This cartoon just goes to show no matter what time period they're in, the great Bugs vs. Elmer rivalry will never go away.

4. Blooper Bunny (1997)
Directed by Greg Ford and Terry Lennon


I truly think this was the last great "Looney Tunes" cartoon. Unfortunately, Mel Blanc had passed by this time, but another great voice actor - Jeff Bergman - took up the characters for this long-delayed cartoon. Originally, this was supposed to be released theatrically in 1991, but because Warner Bros. objected to a few of the self-parody jokes ("Warner Bros. doesn't have an original bone in its-"!), the film was shelved until it premiered on Cartoon Network in 1997. Warner Bros. has since changed their view of the cartoon, fully embracing it. The short starts with a wacky celebration of the career of Bugs Bunny's career and then reveals the countless hilarious botched rehearsal that it took to create it. I love its edginess, the jokes never fail and the 3D scenery is very cool to see.

3. Rabbit Fire
Directed by Chuck Jones


This is the pinnacle Bugs vs. Daffy episode. One of the greatest cartoons ever created. "Rabbit season, duck season" is a highlight among all other "Looney Tunes" cartoons. Not much more that I can say about it that hasn't already been said.


2. Duck Amuck
Directed by Chuck Jones


I'll just put Chuck Jones' words here: "Who is Daffy Duck anyway? Would you recognize him if I did this to him? What if he didn't live in the woods? Didn't live anywhere? What if he had no voice? No face? What if he wasn't even a duck anymore?" It's the best Daffy Duck cartoon ever made.

1. Show Biz Bugs
Directed by Friz Freleng


This is like 5 different cartoons put into one. They even borrow the Yosemite Sam xylophone gag from "Ballot Box Bunny". Daffy is constantly being upstaged by Bugs at a stage show, and is willing to do anything to keep himself first-billed; even kill himself! I know most prefer Duck Amuck, but I wanted my list to have a different #1 and so I chose this. "That's terrific, Daffy! They loved it! They want more!" "I know, I know! But I can only do it once!"


So, that's my Top 11 Favorite Looney Tunes Cartoons. I hope you had a lot of fun reading this and watching these cartoons again. If you have your own favorites, be sure and leave them in the comments below. Only one way to end this!





Note: Today would have been Chuck Jones' 100th birthday.