Another double feature picture show
As a member of a captive audience (this house is a home), I’ve watched two rented comic books in the last few hours. Perhaps I’ll paraphrase that; I’ve watched two Hollywood blockbusters that are based on comic books, and somehow, the world is a different place from my youth. First of all, since when did they learn to use humans instead of hand-drawn objects in the fantastic world of graphic books? Superman apart; and Batman; and the Hulk. OK, maybe this isn’t a new medium for the movie industry.
We watched Iron Man and Wanted. Two films from the last year, based on comic books that were first published as standard drawn art and then, through the magic of cinematography, projected on the large screen (my living room wall). I used to read Marvel Comics, back when an issue cost about twenty-five cents and the coolest kids had boxes of back issues for group entertainment. No Internet then, boys and girls. I didn’t read the title often, but the name is familiar. Watching the movie was an introduction to an (edited and adapted) history that was strangely familiar. Kudos to the director of this movie, because the special effects are over the top.
Actually, I watched two movies with Angelina Jolie this weekend, since one of her earliest efforts, Hackers, was on TV this afternoon. Back when she was an enthusiastic young thing. Proud of her ability to type. Now she is an assassin, skilled driver and martial arts pro. How times change. Wanted is filled with incongruous plot twists, a surplus of slow-mo and some nifty use of trains as playthings.
Given the rail aspect, I preferred Wanted. There, my vote is in.
