The Spirit is coming...

Sadly, Frank Miller is driving him over.

You know what that means. Having to listen to the old guy in the corner screaming, "Drink! Feck! Arse! Girls!" all night. Sigh.

Well The Spirit movie is approaching, and Frank Miller, of the God-Damned Batman and Sin City has put it together. The new trailer is out and surprise surprise, like the earlier teaser hinted, it is all too like Sin City in feel. It's The Spirit, come on.

Like I said, I am not sold on this movie just yet. I dig the concept, I loved the comic and I am also a fan of Frank Miller’s work, at least the kind he does on paper. This however, isn’t doing it for me. The dialog sounds awkward, the effects seem forced and over-the-top and I don’t know if it is going to be anything but another excuse to go heavy on the use of green screen to make a “innovative” comic book flick. I am wondering whether this will end up on the Sin City side of the spectrum or the Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow side. At this point, it is still too early to tell for sure.

I am not a fan and not remotely optimistic.

And more.

Frank Miller is banking pretty hard on the whole "sex sells" idea in this new trailer for his movie of Will Eisner's classic comic book The Spirit. The black, white and red motif looks like a page torn right out of Miller's Sin City, despite the director's protests that he's not copying his first movie. What follows is a parade of "OMG, look at the celebrity hotties in my movie," dotted with some strange acid-hit moments. One thing that does fit in this crazy trailer is eye-linered Samuel L. Jackson as arch-villain The Octopus. I don't know if I agree with the casting, but Jackson's nutso attitude fits in well with this "vision."

Let's disregard the godawful late-90s rock music in the background for a moment, and focus on the big bad. First, you've got a ton of things going on that make no sense. The Spirit is seen climbing across big fat lady lips, that's a bit jarring. Next there's the dialogue: it's rotten. It reeks of trying too hard. "You're so close," coos Lorelei. Finally, the barrage of Hollywood hotties seems more like a desperate play for sexiness than picking the right actor for each role.

Hey, see my movie, I put a lot of hot girls in it, saying dumb things.

But on top of it...drum roll, Mr. Samuel L. Jackson.

Now I have an excuse to rant. Jackson. I have liked him he has done some great work in his life. Interesting and diverse rolls. Granted most people don't see them. Most people see Samuel Fucking Jackson movies. You know. When he plays the load cussing wild shooting jerk off. It is sort of like the archetypes of Nick Cage and Tom Cruise, where you often know what you are going to get. It is the role he is usually offered. Where he goes on to a set and they ask him to be his Sam Jacksonist. And he does it, I like to think, at this point, for the fat paychecks. But, damn, I am sick of it. If anything, and there was plenty more, that turned me off of the Ultimate Marvel Universe, it was Col. Samuel L...I mean, the new Nick Fury. I mean, I skim through Ultimate comics from time to time, and man, is that character an annoying, smug little Mary Sue character. And that character epitomizes what Jackson has been turned into in Hollywood. It is said people don't films he has done like Red Violin.

Also out soon in entertainment are some new DVD's.

Hulk Vs. Where the Hulk...fights...famous characters from Marvel Comics...yah...eh.

And some Teen Iron Man. Really. A teenage Tony Stark, in his armor fighting crime, with teen Jim Rhodes at his side. I'm not joking. Take a look.


But on the plus side of things. Looks like the Watchmen is approaching. And I am trying to keep hopeful on that. Apparently there will be some news and/or buzz Friday at Comic Con. Can't wait to hear good news or new clips.