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DC Cinematic Universe |OT| Superfriends with Benefits

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jackdoe

Member
The amount of really good episodes is less than I remember.

HARDAC sucks.
It still has a pretty good ratio of good to crap episodes until the New Batman Adventures. Then it's mostly crap episodes and a very unlikeable Batman. He was probably a worse human being than burnt out Battfleck who stopped giving a shit about the lives of henchmen.
 

Ahasverus

Member
The amount of really good episodes is less than I remember.
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It still has a pretty good ratio of good to crap episodes until the New Batman Adventures. Then it's mostly crap episodes and a very unlikeable Batman. He was probably a worse human being than burnt out Battfleck who stopped giving a shit about the lives of henchmen.

You're being very silly here.

I feel like you have that backwards. The BTAS Batman is a really flat character and the stories in general have really bad pacing, taking way too long to get started and resolving too quickly.

Dialogue was very much on the nose and not subtle. Maybe coming from them leaning on the noir tropes.

There's a lot to like but you can tell they were learning as they went.

They really hit their stride in the new adventures. Sharper, more natural dialogue, voice work got more nuanced, by ditching the noir tone episodes felt fresher, made the character more believable and more engaging. The animation was a mixed bag it's true but the whole package was better overall.

I watch the whole DCAU every year and I have a soft spot for the early Batman but it's not as good as what comes later.
 

jackdoe

Member
You're being very silly here.

I feel like you have that backwards. The BTAS Batman is a really flat character and the stories in general have really bad pacing, taking way too long to get started and resolving too quickly.

Dialogue was very much on the nose and not subtle. There's a lot to like but you can tell they were learning as they went.

They really hit their stride in the new adventures. Sharper, more natural dialogue, voice work got more nuanced, by ditching the noir tropes episodes felt fresher, made the character more believable and more engaging. The animation was a mixed bag it's true but the whole package was better overall.

I watch the whole DCAU every year and I have a soft spot for the early Batman but it's not as good as what comes later.
See, I completely disagree with that. The first two season have charm. From the animation style to the actual stories that the episodes told. Then it all went downhill. Batman became a very one dimensional Batdick. Robin became an angry Nightwing without any of the charm. JasonTim ToddDrake became an angry Robin. IMO, the episodes became very one note and very, very boring. I was able to binge watch the original animated episodes fairly quickly. Once I got to the "New Adventures", it became a slog and I only made it through three before stopping.
 
See, I completely disagree with that. The first two season have charm. From the animation style to the actual stories that the episodes told. Then it all went downhill. Batman became a very one dimensional Batdick. Robin became an angry Nightwing without any of the charm. JasonTim ToddDrake became an angry Robin. IMO, the episodes became very one note and very, very boring. I was able to binge watch the original animated episodes fairly quickly. Once I got to the "New Adventures", it became a slog and I only made it through three before stopping.

I guess we'll have to agree to disagree. Season one to three Batman to me is for the most part a flat, one note, do-gooder. When they started building in his truculent adhesion to the mission it gave TNBA Bat's more to chew on. Which they built on so wonderfully leading to his isolation in Beyond and JL.

They started exploring the real world consequences of his mission on him and his family.
 

jackdoe

Member
I guess we'll have to agree to disagree. Season one to three Batman to me is for the most part a flat, one note, do-gooder. When they started building in his truculent adhesion to the mission it gave TNBA Bat's more to chew on. Which leads they build on so wonderfully to his isolation in Beyond and JL.
I think the main difference is that you like that characterization of Batman. The loner that is completely dedicated to his mission. I'm personally not a fan of it and loved it when Infinite Crisis changed Batman's personality and Grant Morrison made him more family centric (since I'm of the opinion that someone who surrounds himself with Robins, Nightwings, Batgirls, and Batwomen isn't exactly a loner). The first two seasons caters to someone with my tastes, while the newer episodes caters to someone with your tastes.
 
I think the main difference is that you like that characterization of Batman. The loner that is completely dedicated to his mission. I'm personally not a fan of it and loved it when Infinite Crisis changed Batman's personality and Grant Morrison made him more family centric (since I'm of the opinion that someone who surrounds himself with Robins, Nightwings, Batgirls, and Batwomen isn't exactly a loner). The first two seasons caters to someone with my tastes, while the newer episodes caters to someone with your tastes.

Perhaps in the broadest strokes. But those family elements are still there and he cares. It's just more complicated. The Scarecrow dream episode is a good example of his devotion to everyone and their's to him. It a creeping isolation, one he brings on himself, to shield those he cares about.

I feel it's just dealing with more mature themes. It's not just a kids show at that point. The writers are making stories and characters with motivations that resonate with them.

I'm not saying it eclipses the early stuff. The tone and steps made in those seasons made what came next possible. But it felt like progression to me.
 

Verendus

Banned
not really. he had no idea what he was doing until ra's put the idea into his head. he roamed around trying to understand crime and criminals, i guess he learned how to fight somewhere, but ra's himself tells him he is "truly lost." some training and inspiring one-liners later and boom, he comes up with batman. i don't care for that interpretation in comparison to how some comics have portrayed it.

eitherway that's a relatively minor criticism in comparison to the bad 3rd act and seizure inducing fight scenes.
Your criticism was that he ran away after trying to murder Joe Chill and was lost, and without purpose. That's simply wrong. He knew what he had to do. The issue was how. The opening scene of the movie has Bruce saying he considers those criminals practice. You see flashbacks where he's in the criminal world and beginning to understand what drives them. He clearly has a purpose. That's the beginning of his journey. He leaves when he's a college student and we catch up with him many years later where he's already come to understand the criminal mind to an extent, and is able to defend himself.

Ra's purpose was to teach him how to channel his anger correctly. Bruce's heart was already in the right place. That's why his sudden refusal to execute the prisoner catches Ra's off guard. That's the character's agency. Ra's may have guided him, but Bruce always had a clear purpose as soon as he threw away the gun. It's not the idea of theatricality or a man in a costume that matters. The theme of the movie, and in part the trilogy, is about having the will to act.

And the third act is great.
 
Your criticism was that he ran away after trying to murder Joe Chill and was lost, and without purpose. That's simply wrong. He knew what he had to do. The issue was how. The opening scene of the movie has Bruce saying he considers those criminals practice. You see flashbacks where he's in the criminal world and beginning to understand what drives them. He clearly has a purpose. That's the beginning of his journey. He leaves when he's a college student and we catch up with him many years later where he's already come to understand the criminal mind to an extent, and is able to defend himself.

Ra's purpose was to teach him how to channel his anger correctly. Bruce's heart was already in the right place. That's why his sudden refusal to execute the prisoner catches Ra's off guard. That's the character's agency. Ra's may have guided him, but Bruce always had a clear purpose as soon as he threw away the gun. It's not the idea of theatricality or a man in a costume that matters. The theme of the movie, and in part the trilogy, is about having the will to act.

And the third act is great.
Yeah, He left to also "taste desperate" and realize that he's had it easy all his life.

The third act has the best scene in my opinion, Bruce getting rid of his Guest and his talk with Ra's. Loved the Dialogue there
 

Verendus

Banned
I was watching The First Avenger and The Winter Solider last night. Why can't Superman movies be this good? ;_;
Uh, I sure as hell don't want a Superman movie that's of a similar quality to The First Avenger. That movie is borderline terrible.

Now Winter Soldier? I can get behind that.
 
Uh, I sure as hell don't want a Superman movie that's of a similar quality to The First Avenger. That movie is borderline terrible.

Now Winter Soldier? I can get behind that.

no doubt. i appreciate the sentiment behind the first half hour or so but joe johnston sucks ass and so does that movie.

Superman really could do with an idealized director though like Brad Bird or (the dream) Spielberg tbh. Somebody not afraid of being that schmaltzy and throw superman's persona back to what everybody seems to be clamoring for.
 

Kibbles

Member
A good interview with Jared about playing the Joker (nobody seemed to care in my bump of the trailer thread so posting it here in case anyone wanted to read lol):
http://www.ew.com/article/2016/04/15/jared-leto-joker-suicide-squad
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: What were your original thoughts when you were approached about taking on a character that has become so iconic?
JARED LETO: You take a deep breath. There is a responsibility I suppose that you can feel but it’s also incredibly exciting. The work that’s been done on this character by so many people before me has been so impactful, so incredible, so much fun, so profound, so risky, that it’s a very special thing to be asked to take on that responsibility.

What did you want to do with him to make him feel original in comparison to what had been done before?
We knew we had to strike new ground. There had been such great work that we knew we had to go in a different direction. So you had a kind of direction from the very beginning, knowing that you can’t go that way, so you have to head this way. That was really helpful. But the Joker is fantastic because there are no rules. The Joker operates from instinct.

What kind of conversations did you have with David about who this guy was going to be?

David and I had conversations and I think he trusted that I was going to go out and experiment and explore and come back with something for him to continue the collaboration with. And it was nice to have that trust from him. He really let me lose and encouraged me. That was a priceless thing when you’re working with a director to have that faith and trust.

So what did you do to create this guy? What did you go and do? Who did this guy become to you?

He became a real person. I don’t know if person is the right word. I think the Joker lives in between reality and another plane. Kind of a shaman in a way. It’s a very intoxicating role to take on. You have permission to break rules and to challenge yourself and anyone around you in a really unique way.

I first started at the beginning, educating myself, researching, reading as much as I could, going back to the source material. And then at a certain point, I knew I had to stop doing that. Because the Joker has been redefined, reinvented many times before. I think the fun thing about it is when people have done it in the past, there is some spirit of the Joker essence that they keep, but they either build upon something or tear something down and start again at the beginning. For me, I knew once I had gone through the process of educating myself, I had to throw everything away and start from the beginning and really build this from the ground up. It was a transformative process. There was a physical transformation. There was a physical conditioning.

What, specifically, did you do?

There are a lot of things. It’s probably better to not get into it but to the Joker, violence is a symphony. This is someone who gets an extreme reward from the act of violence and manipulation. Those are the songs he sings and he is very in tune with what makes people tick. I did meet with people that were experts, doctors, psychiatrists that dealt with psychopaths and people who had committed horrendous crimes, and then I spent some time with those people themselves, people who have been institutionalized for great periods of time. I guess when you take on a role, any role, you become part detective, part writer, and for me that’s my favorite time of the entire process, the discovering, the uncovering, and the building of a character. Yeah, it’s really fun.

Now, how difficult was it staying in that character for the entire shoot?
It was challenging but it was also fun. He has a great sense of humor, depending on who you ask. [Laughs]

Like your castmates?
Yeah, you can ask them about that. But for me, I knew I had to be committed as much as possible. I had to be committed beyond belief. And I did what I needed to do to deliver the best I possibly could. There was a lot on the line and I want to do justice for all the work that has been done before. It’s not a part-time job. It’s immersive. It takes over your life and that’s what I needed to do for myself. Other people can show up and are genius but I did what I needed to do to deliver. And we had a good time with it. I think it was exactly what was needed for me, at least.

Tell me about the video you made for your castmates before your henchman dropped a pig on the table in the middle of the rehearsal room. How did that whole thing go down?

I think in the beginning it was important to set up and define our relationship, so to speak. [laughs] There were a lot of things. It was fun. You’ve got to remember doing these things isn’t just about the result, it’s the process. It’s working with Mr. Frost, who is the Joker’s henchman. It’s making the choice and the decision of how am I going to introduce the Joker to the very first people who will meet him. So it becomes an exercise as much for me as it is for anyone else. And it’s as much about the process as it is about the results. How do you go about these sorts of things? How do you work with the people around you? It was a lot of fun. The attention to detail and the process that we went through helped to bring a life to the character for me. Those actions and those gestures—the joker loves a grand gesture. Those were really important. And they were fun. The Joker is someone who doesn’t take things too seriously.

Where did you get the pig?
If I told you, you wouldn’t believe me. Nah, I can’t tell you. But there was a method to the madness and a point for all of it. I wouldn’t have changed it for the world. It was a really wonderful experience. I really loved the opportunity and I have a lot of gratitude for the chance to take this on and to share it with a new generation of younger people and people who may have been familiar, to revisit it in a different way.

How involved were you in creating the Joker’s look?
David had some very specific ideas. As far as the look of the Joker, it was a collaborative process. There were things I brought to the table and things David brought to the table and it was a mashup of both of our sick and twisted minds. There were specific things that he liked and wanted and I was there to help bring them to life in the best way I could.

What specific things did you bring to it?
I think the most important thing I brought was probably not to do with the outside but with the internal. But you know David was specific with tattoos. They were his idea but there was a lot to play with. Who knows what will end up in the final film?

I think for the Joker and the process, it’s probably best to talk to the other people. I don’t mean that dismissively, but I think it will be more interesting. What I think is interesting is what did the crew think, what did the DP think? They must have thought I was completely f—in crazy, but I know this, every time I walked on the set, I saw a lot of smiles and people were so glad to have smiley back and that was really touching and a nice thing that they got a sense of joy out of whatever was happening. I was happy to make everyone smile… even if I had to cut their tongues out.
 

jackdoe

Member
Uh, I sure as hell don't want a Superman movie that's of a similar quality to The First Avenger. That movie is borderline terrible.

Now Winter Soldier? I can get behind that.

no doubt. i appreciate the sentiment behind the first half hour or so but joe johnston sucks ass and so does that movie.

Superman really could do with an idealized director though like Brad Bird or (the dream) Spielberg tbh. Somebody not afraid of being that schmaltzy and throw superman's persona back to what everybody seems to be clamoring for.
You guys are on crazy sauce. I loved The First Avenger and think that it's the best Marvel Phase 1 film.
 

bryanee

Member
First Avenger is boring as fuck. Its the only MCU flick I try to avoid watching. I'd rather watch Thor 2.

As for DC movies I've been watching Burtons Batman movies. I love the art direction in those two films. I also love how crazy Keatons eyes look in the cowl, straight up nut job.

I also watched Green Lantern, not good but I do like all the Oa stuff. And I forgot they pulled a fucking smoke Galactus type thing in this with Parallax.

Why they didn't go with this concept art I do not know.

18lqvcf7v2tgujpg.jpg
 
Not gonna like, I would have loved if Nolan did Superman, Bruce in Begins was more lively then Clark in MoS. Although I guess it was because he was a loner and Bruce had a couple people to bounce off.

I think thats the Problem, Clark doesn't really interact with people other then Lois. He needs his Lucius Fox/Alfred, where he can be himself and they dont know hes Superman. Where's Jimmy when you need him
 

Verendus

Banned
Did you all know Warner Bros. has announced that a Batman movie is being made with Ben Affleck directing?

Because what the hell? I suddenly see this now. I guess everyone has been expecting it, but this is great. I hope they make it less of an action movie, and more of a thriller. They should do something different. I think Affleck would pull something like that off really well. It's pretty much his forte. The timing couldn't be more perfect when you think about it.
 
Not gonna like, I would have loved if Nolan did Superman, Bruce in Begins was more lively then Clark in MoS. Although I guess it was because he was a loner and Bruce had a couple people to bounce off.

I think thats the Problem, Clark doesn't really interact with people other then Lois. He needs his Lucius Fox/Alfred, where he can be himself and they dont know hes Superman. Where's Jimmy when you need him

Six feet under with a bullet in his skull.
 
Btas is a bit overrated, and Superman TAS is underrated.

JLU is best series though, followed by JL season 2.

Yarp. BTAS has some incredible highs, but also some real trash. STAS doesn't reach the soaring greatness of the best BTAS episodes, but it's much more consistent, and I'd argue better. And neither can tough JL(U) when it got rolling. Cadmus arc is godtier.
 

Wingfan19

Unconfirmed Member
Found this on Reddit, looks like Harley does have her OG red/black jester costume

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4OMtwBL.jpg


Willing to bet she pulls it out of the crate, holds it up, and is like, "Eh, maybe next time" and tosses it aside.
 
You know what I want?

I want the first JL movie to revolve around the Throne of Atlantis storyline from the New52, with the second introducing Darkseid forreal.

What I also desperately want is for the unannounced 5 October 2018 film to be a New Gods film with Mister Miracle as the protagonist, or maybe him and Orion as dual protagonists. It'll give us some nice backstory for Darkseid and Apokolips in general so JL Pt 2 can have it's entire runtime dedicated to earth's invasion.

Why do I want this so much?

I just wanna see Big Barda on the big screen. Lol.

tumblr_mk9523DSoi1rgyfvfo3_500.gif
 

Ahasverus

Member
A good interview with Jared about playing the Joker (nobody seemed to care in my bump of the trailer thread so posting it here in case anyone wanted to read lol):
http://www.ew.com/article/2016/04/15/jared-leto-joker-suicide-squad
I think Leto is trying a bit hard, but whatever, the Joker IS the tryhard of all tryharda. His encounter with Batfleck will tbe the stuff of Legends.

Also, fuck you David Ayer for the tatoos. They add nothing, they "damaged" the almost perfect design.
 
love the tattoos. it's really only the forehead one that is really hard to get over. the rest fits the nu-thug joker.

i'm not reading that interview though. i already found leto unbearably corny, asking him about his process for the joker would push it too far for me.
 

Anth0ny

Member
everyone stop this

BTAS and STAS are both fucking incredible. I rewatched all of BTAS for the first time as an adult and was blown away. I'm now 10 episodes into STAS and am similarly blown away.

Did not appreciate these shows as a kid. Appreciate them even more after seeing what Snyder is doing with the same characters.
 
Naw, it's better people are honest on their opinions. I gave BvS a 3/10 and stand by it.
Hell I gave MoS a solid 7 well made film, good story ruined by a poor script, but that movie lead me to believe that Clark was going to be humanize in the next movie because he got a job and a girl. Except that didn't happen.

As for the BTAS and STAS, where are they available to watch? I watch them a while back and thought they were decent with some great moments, but nothing that made me go "Amazing", basically a Fun/10. But you know things could change over time
 

Bleepey

Member
Did you all know Warner Bros. has announced that a Batman movie is being made with Ben Affleck directing?

Because what the hell? I suddenly see this now. I guess everyone has been expecting it, but this is great. I hope they make it less of an action movie, and more of a thriller. They should do something different. I think Affleck would pull something like that off really well. It's pretty much his forte. The timing couldn't be more perfect when you think about it.

Unfortunately I fear WB won't take chances again. It would be nice to see a Batman movie play out like s thriller of murder mystery but it will probably just be a action movie with the Joker trash talking.
 

Draconian

Member
Unfortunately I fear WB won't take chances again. It would be nice to see a Batman movie play out like s thriller of murder mystery but it will probably just be a action movie with the Joker trash talking.

I think they'll give Ben a little leeway to do as he likes with this. He has a proven track record behind the camera after all.
 

BadAss2961

Member
Sounds like it's up to Ben. He's already written a script... If there's anyone that has the clout to be given the freedom to make the Batman movie he wants, it's him.
 
So, I was rewatching The Dark Knight today after years, and it's obvious that I didn't appreciate it before, since I just now noticed it, but the cinematography is fucking masterful in this film. Not to be a hater, but this film makes most Marvel films look like TV shows. I took some screencaps.

1OYhk37.jpg


82VZg01.jpg


odTf4sH.jpg
 
So, I was rewatching The Dark Knight today after years, and it's obvious that I didn't appreciate it before, since I just now noticed it, but the cinematography is fucking masterful in this film. Not to be a hater, but this film makes most Marvel films look like TV shows. I took some screencaps.

1OYhk37.jpg


82VZg01.jpg


odTf4sH.jpg
You didn't even post the Joker in the cop car.

Although my favorite shot which didn't make the cut was used in the first trailer with the Joker just standing in the street. Nolan's best work is his cinematography for his films, all of them are great to excellent.
 
I'd like to see Nolan return at some point and do a Doom Patrol, Swamp Thing or Sandman movie. I think his style would work really well with those characters.
 
Movie having yet another massive drop this weekend thanks to Jungle Book.

Cool story.

We get it, aight? Movie is tanking. It's fine. You really don't have to drop in here every time to make sure everyone knows. We get it. It's a community thread, and this is literally all you post about.
 

Corpsepyre

Banned
I'd like to see Nolan return at some point and do a Doom Patrol, Swamp Thing or Sandman movie. I think his style would work really well with those characters.

Lol. Excuse me? Doom Patrol. Imagine the reviews and everyone bawling over it. Esp if it's the Morrison work that gets adapted. I would LOVE to see one, but given the current climate, it'll fuck everyone up and spell a disaster for DC/WB. :p

Plus, not sure how Nolan's style would work with DP. It's the complete opposite of what Nolan went with in his Batman trilogy.
 

SJRB

Gold Member
Cool story.

We get it, aight? Movie is tanking. It's fine. You really don't have to drop in here every time to make sure everyone knows. We get it. It's a community thread, and this is literally all you post about.

Didn't it make well over a billion dollars worldwide? I'm not sure "tanking" is the right word for that kind of money.
 
Lol. Excuse me? Doom Patrol. Imagine the reviews and everyone bawling over it. Esp if it's the Morrison work that gets adapted. I would LOVE to see one, but given the current climate, it'll fuck everyone up and spell a disaster for DC/WB. :p

Plus, not sure how Nolan's style would work with DP. It's the complete opposite of what Nolan went with in his Batman trilogy.

DP would probably be better as an HBO series (honestly I think every comic adaptation would be better in a serial format :p).

He wouldn't have to do a strict Morrison-like take but I think the general tone of Doompatrol would mesh well with Nolan.
 
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