Over the course of a film career spanning more than thirty years, Adam Sandler has developed into quite the comic obscurant. On the one hand, Sandler has signed his name to half a dozen sophisticated, relatively subtle, indie comedies, such as “Spanglish”, “Punch Drunk Love” and “Funny People,” even delving into the realm of politically charged drama with 2007′s “Reign Over Me.” On the other hand, though, Sandler must also be held responsible for some of the most asinine, sophomoric, underdeveloped schlock-fests that have ever entered the suspiciously sticky DVD players of pimply, teenage, glue sniffers. Having established the development of these two aesthetic extremes in Sandler’s extensive catalogue, it is only fair to point out that 90% of his movies sit comfortably in a middle-of-the-range space between “artful” and “vomitous.”

And yet, no-one would dare accuse Happy Madison Production’s newest offering, “That’s My Boy,” (directed by Sean Anders) of cinematic fence-sitting.

The plot of the movie, without giving away the twist– and it is a doozy– is this: mathematically gifted, 12 year old delinquent, Donny Berger is involved in a sexual liaison with his 22 year old teacher, Mary McGarricle, the products of which are a son, Han Solo, and a brief period of gainful notoriety. Skip ahead twenty years or so, and Donny (Adam Sandler) is estranged from the renamed, and very successful, Todd (Andy Samberg) and living in obscurity with an enormous debt owed to the IRA. To ease his financial troubles, Donny brokers a deal with a talk-show host to organize a reunion between himself, his son and his imprisoned ex-lover (Susan “what was she thinking?” Sarandon.) Seeing a notice in the paper advertising Todd’s impending wedding to WASPish socialite Jaime (tragically underused Leighton Meester), Berger decides to reconnect with his son in the hopes of tricking him into the show. The rest of the movie is 114 minutes of sperm jokes, violent diarrhea, and rampant racism, sexism and a host of other “-ism”s that might, if listed in full, have prolonged Ferris Bueller’s seminal shower by a good 20 minutes.

But, leaving aside the smaller problems of the movie– not that Sandler’s inability to follow-through with a single potent punchline in a film that markets itself as a goofball comedy is by any means a small problem — “That’s My Boy” has one, major flaw that doomed the movie even in its most fledgling stages of development. And that is this: statutory rape is not hilarious.

The thing is, irreverence and the tackling of taboos through humour can be well done. In recent times, Hollywood has produced a number of extremely funny and often beautifully made, dark comedies that tackle sensitive, socio-historical issues head on. Standout examples of semi-recent subversive laugh-a-minute films include, Morris’ “Four Lions”, a riotous indie film about Muslim-English suicide bombers, Tarantino’s “Inglourious Basterds,” a movie that dared to poke fun at the Third Reich, and, most topically, Reitman’s “Juno,” which revolves around the subject of teen pregnancy.

Yet, there remains a vast difference between any one of the movies above and ‘That’s My Boy”– quite apart from the fact that those films are hilarious, and the only funny thing about the Sandler movie is that anyone with functioning eyes and ears paid to see it– because, where the other movies have the good sense to not make fun of the central kernel of struggle within the movie, the characters of “That’s My Boy” barge into the dark world of sexual abuse and bumble about in there without the weakest flashlight of self-awareness. To put it another way, “Four Lions” makes jokes about acts of faith, but not faith, “Inglorious Basterds” mocks Hitler but not the holocaust, “Juno” plays with the physical state of pregnancy in high-school, but not the emotional toll of growing up fast. By contrast, “That’s My Boy” does not discriminate between pressure points within the incredibly traumatic subject of statutory rape and its consequences, and makes the entire underage teacher-student relationship — the inciting incident that creates the tension for the whole film– into a big, colossally unfunny, joke.

Somewhere, very, very deep down inside the soul of this uncharismatic well of one-liner ejaculate, there is something that needs to be said. Indeed, Sandler manages to pull off a few, incredibly sparse, genuinely touching incidences between himself and Samberg in which there is a momentary glimpse into the unique perspective of a tragically young dad trying valiantly to bring up a son while going through his own, rocky, coming of age journey. Those flashpoints of honesty between parent and child, in conjunction with a series of scene stealing performances by the utterly charming Vanilla Ice– who should have “[flown] like a harpoon daily and nightly” away from this movie–, may almost have redeemed the rest of the film. Unfortunately, they are, more often than not, quickly smothered by shots of obese prostitutes firing pool-balls from their hoo-has at mentally challenged yokels.

Previously, I had assumed that Sandler continued to produce this kind of movie, the kind of movie firmly entrenched within the “vomitous” camp of his stylistic spectrum, because he has no respect for his audience beyond the money they persist in offloading into his already overflowing pockets. Now, post-”That’s My Boy,” I know this to be the case, and, perversely, this knowledge makes me feel both better about this specific movie and about Sandler’s movie making career as a whole. Ah, yes indeed, free market capitalism is alive and well.

Grade: 1/5

Image Courtesy of  That’s My Boy

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Dark Horse rolls out the announcement of all four titles that will be featured in two different comics to be given away to thousands of fans on May 5, 2012.

First comes a special flip book featuring both Felicia Day’s gaming web series turned comic, The Guild, and Dark Horse’s best-selling comics continuation of Joss Whedon’s iconic television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer! Buffy has never needed a vacation as badly as she does now, with the world overrun with zompires and other fallout from Season 8.

After an old friend suggests arelaxing getaway from all things that go bump in the night, it turns out to be harder than she could ever expect for a Slayer to get a day off!

Felicia Day, creator of The Guild, continues to bring on the funny with high jinks from her diverse group of gamers when the Guildies struggle to find a meeting place they can all agree on. A little in-game battle becomes the deciding factor, and the circle follows the decree of the winner: the beach?!

Next up is one of the biggest flip books we’ve ever published, when Zack Whedon brings you tales of the coolest guy in the galaxy and the most charming rebel in the ’verse! That’s right; we’ve paired Star Wars with Joss Whedon’s Serenity.

Han Solo and Chewbacca have a falling-out after a deal with their slickest—and shadiest—customer goes bad. But when the client gets designs on the Millennium Falcon, Han and Chewie present a united front that can’t be beat.

Meanwhile, Captain Malcolm “Mal” Reynolds is no stranger to jobs gone wrong himself. But when the chips are down, he’s able to rely on the amazing, odd, and diversely talented crew of Serenity.

Dark Horse Free Comic Book Day 2012: Four great stories for the price of, well, none!

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Set directly between Episode IV: A New Hope and Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back, “At War with the Empire- Volume 2″ is the second half of the story which covers what happens to fledgling heroes Luke, Leia, Han and Chewbacca after the defeat of the first Death Star.

In true comic book fashion, available here, the gaps between the two films are expertly covered by various writers and artists, resolving some of the series’ unanswered questions and alluding to some of the new challenges they will eventually face. Omnibus reads like a movie, though not always in chronological order, by carefully selecting only the most important single issues to best exemplify how each individual character is developing over a period of time.

A serious undertaking by Dark Horse, this is simply an enormous wealth of information and storyline no true Star Wars fan should be without. Packed into 400+ pages of action and adventure, despite the early time line in the Prequel Trilogy, there are just enough Jedi powers featured to keep fans satisfied.

Remaining largely untested, Luke Skywalker still keeps his sense of humility and is just a touch shy despite being an X-Wing pilot. The confidence he later exhibits in the proceeding films has not been tempered by the experiences of combat and learning of his father’s true history.

At the beginning of the omnibus Skywalker is still finding his way, making the choices that are instinctive to him, rather than what is practical. However, towards the end it is evident that the writers and editors planned Luke’s thoughts to echo those that would be depicted in the successive movies.

Leia Organa, likewise, goes through a similar, if less noticeable, change. In a series that was always about character growth, her personality remained remarkably the strongest, the most steadfast in her beliefs. Unlike Luke, her abilities are more geared toward those of a politician, of which Luke personally laments his lack of skill.

Leia herself is practical and courageous, not at all afraid to get her hands dirty on dangerous missions. Leia, despite being a Princess, is also accepting of Han Solo, a man she initially views as a competent pilot and not good for much else. Han Solo, the cheeky smuggler extraordinaire, is fully fleshed out in this large collection towards the end.

The omnibus features a single issue about the budding relationship between Han and Leia as well as mentioning Han’s past with Chewbacca.Solo’s words elevate his presence within the story and give his character great depth and authenticity. For fans that have wondered how Han and Leia began their relationship, this collection is a treat that will give fans a greater appreciation for Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back.

Obi-Wan also has his role to play since Luke still thinks about him and wonders if his first teacher told him everything about his father’s past. Obi-Wan’s role is the simplest, with only a few flashbacks of him featured through Luke’s thoughts. The overriding theme is that Luke will eventually find out that, although far from being perfect, Anakin Skywalker did bring balance to the force: by betraying everything that it meant to be a Jedi.

Obi-Wan’s one time student, Darth Vader, is firmly established as the treacherous Sith apprentice to Darth Sidious. Vader still has his code of ethics, skewed though they may be. He’ll still betray or utterly destroy a subordinate, but not casually, always with a reason. In Vader’s mind no other competition for his Masters’ attention must exist, and so he kills even those that work for the dark side.

In that way, Vader’s character is multi-dimensional, never boring or stereotypical. His dramatic one liner’s are some of the best within the Star Wars Universe. Deena Shan is one of a few side characters that are featured throughout the series to be included in this Omnibus. Though she is bitter about possessing no Force abilities, she quickly finds herself surrounded by larger than life Heroes Luke and Leia.

Torn between saving herself and continuing to fight against the Empire, she struggles repeatedly with the impulse to leave what she previously perceived to be a glamorous lifestyle. Her character arc most resembles that of Han Solo before he decided to join the Rebel Alliance permanently.

Able 1707 is a stranded Clone Wars trooper from before the Fall of the Republic. Able treats Luke with a great amount of deference and respect, which causes no small number of jokes. His faith in Luke can be taken as a foreshadowing of what Luke will one day achieve after the Fall of the Empire.

His character exemplifies the status a Jedi had during the Republic’s days and also reminds readers of the Prequel Trilogy. Wyl Tarson is an equally complex character, if not more so than the other two previously mentioned. At once an Alliance spy and Empire informant, he is a man torn between his past and present.

He makes no secret of the fact that he looks out for himself and no one else. On the darker end of the spectrum, his life and future are intrinsically tied to the Empire and the Rebellion. With a betrayal that nearly halts the Empire and the Rebel Alliance in its tracks, Wyl Tarson is not to be underestimated.

Character building is an integral part of creating the Star Wars universe, giving readers the ability to sympathize with both their heroes and their less known counterparts. In the Volume 2 Omnibus of “At War with the Empire”, readers will get to explore select parts of the Star Wars storyline that most likely would have made a great short companion film in between Episodes IV and V.

Coincidental or not, the comic is structured in such a way that its single issues are compiled to read like a movie. With a climax scene that makes the reader sit up and take notice as the cavalry arrives, fans are sure to enjoy this comic and want to go watch the movies all over again.

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Billed as James Bond meets Star Wars, this is a new comic series that certainly succeeds in this endeavor as Jahan Cross takes on the galaxy. This comic features droids that aren’t afraid to get dirty, undercover missions and some very explosive toys all wrapped up in this thrilling first single issue.

Technology here has given espionage a complete boost in cool factor, with several upgrades that still reminds readers of the tools we have in use today. This is a look at the Empire, not from the viewpoint of Darth Vader or our favorite Rebel Heroes, but through the eyes of a single man loyally doing his job.

It was written by John Ostrander (Star Wars Omnibus: Quinlan Vos-Jedi in Darkness), penciled with his own special cover by Stephane Roux, and the inking was done by Julien Hugonnard-bert. Writer, Penciller and Inker are definitely signed on to do Issue# 2 and #3, now available for preorder through Dark Horse Comics here with the link below for issues Two and Three.  Issue #1 releases on December 14th 2011.

In a somewhat blatant imitation of Q and his assistant R, this new comic series does in fact emulate some of the Ian Fleming style, as been seen in recent films. R, Q’s assistant, is played by Alessi Quon, a master engineer who prizes his masterpieces but laments Jahan Cross’s lack of care for them.

The character of Q is played by Royd Pew, a slightly mole-ish looking man who directly heads the Tech Section, also grudgingly agrees with his assistant that Cross never brings his equipment back in good condition. In the Star Wars Universe droids can talk, and so it becomes a new facet of this Star Wars adaptation of James Bond that some of his best tools obey his commands to the letter.

It is not quite calling a car that can drive itself to you and more like calling a personal assistant who can shoot lasers. Some of Cross’s other tools are more discreet in the espionage tradition, doing away with the obvious large tools and backpacks that a space age bounty hunter might use.

Jahan Cross, the main protagonist, is similar to James Bond in that he isn’t afraid to take lives to get the job done. His attitude about death is rather blasé but he’s certainly bold as brass and cocksure. Jahan is loyal to the Empire but isn’t afraid to break a few rules to help a friend.

Just as curious about the newest gadgets in the Imperial workshop like 007 would be, Cross also touches things and takes whatever strikes his fancy. Before Cross can even get settled in with his newest undercover assignment, he’s already met an old friend from the Imperial Academy, been delayed by a Corporate miscommunication and defended himself against several attackers.

The end of the first single issue leaves fans on a small cliff hanger, and depending on which cover of the comic you get, you won’t have a doubt in your mind that a roaring good party is about to start. If imitation is the most sincere form of flattery, then this Star Wars comic is all out flattery at its best. Given the time and adaptation to the Star Wars storyline, this series will no doubt develop a following of its own.

This is a bold move by Dark Horse Comics to make a comic that feels quite similar to the James Bond movies, but only time will tell if there is success hidden inside its pages. The success of James Bond is obvious but Jahan Cross has a long way to go before his character can be held with the same amount of reverence as that of 007.

This is a great start and fans will definitely want to keep a look out for more successive issues.

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Since the first Star Wars film was re-released on VHS in 1981, director George Lucas has changed at least one element of every film with each new release, often causing a stir among the most loyal fans of the franchise. With the release of the 9-disc special edition Blu-Ray of episodes I-VI on September 16, Lucas has upset fans once again by making a number of changes to episodes IV, V, and VI.

Some of the most controversial changes are the addition of the word “NO!” two times to Darth Vader’s dialogue when he throws the Emperor over the edge in Return of the Jedi, the Ewoks’ eyes now blink, and Obi-Wan’s fake “Kryat Dragon” roar has been changed.

Not since Lucas decided to make Greedo shoot Han first in the Cantina in episode IV for the 1997 Special Edition have fans been so upset about the changes made to one of film history’s most popular series. Twitter has exploded with commentary on the subject, and there are even a number of Facebook pages dedicated to voicing their dissatisfaction with a number of Lucas’ decisions.

One of the most upsetting aspects of the changes is the fact that the original versions won’t be available on Blu-Ray. In 2006, after years of strong protest concerning the 1997 revisions, the original trilogy was released on DVD, but the quality of the picture was not improved.

Lucas has made it clear that he does not want the originals to be preserved. In a 1997 interview with American Cinematographer he stated that “[a] hundred years from now, the only version of the movie that anyone will remember will be the [Special Edition] version.” This view has left fans looking to purchase old copies of the original VHS tapes as a part of their protest against this mentality.

Despite the strong dissatisfaction with many of the content changes, there are still a number of additions and revisions that have been mostly accepted by fans. Notably, the decision to change the puppet version of Yoda in episode I into a CGI version that more closely resembles the original trilogy has met general approval, both for continuity and visual appeal.

George Lucas has been on a quest to make his films better than they were originally, and to include aspects of the film to help make his newer Star Wars films match more closely with the original trilogy. The problem with this mentality is the huge number of fans that liked things the way they were, even with all of the flaws and mistakes.

Who knows, perhaps t-shirts protesting Darth Vader’s comical “no!” will become just as popular in a few years as “Han shot first” t-shirts are today. But unless Lucas makes a sudden change of heart, or loses the creative rights to his films, fans will have to accept whatever creative decisions George Lucas makes.

Image Courtesy of  http://www.facebook.com/StarWars

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Harrison Ford is continuing with his western movie phase as he finishes Cowboys and Aliens and moves on to Black Hats.  Black Hats is more of a straightforward western without the sci-fi pieces splashed in like Cowboys and Aliens.

Instead of Aliens, the antagonists will be Al Capone’s Chicago posse during Prohibition.  Harrison Ford will play the famous cowboy Wyatt Earp, the gambling, boxing refereeing, film consultant, sheriff, and famous gunslinger of the old west.

The script is based off the novel Black Hats: A Novel of Wyatt Earp and Al Capone written by Max Allan Collins under the pen name Patrick Culhane.  Collins is mostly known for his mystery stories as well as his graphic novel Road To Perdition that was adapted for the screen in 2002 with Tom Hanks, Paul Newman, and Jude Law.

The plot of movie follows an aging Wyatt Earp, a former old west sheriff, and private eye in Los Angeles.  His old buddy Doc Holliday has died but revealed that he has a secret son in Chicago.

The son falls into trouble with Al Capone’s gang and Wyatt decides to save the young man.  Recruiting his old deputy and famous sports writer Bat Masterson, the two set out to save Holliday’s son.

Kurt Johnstad who helped write the script for 300 and has written the script for the upcoming movie The Last Photograph, began to write the script.  However, even with it in its first draft and Harrison Ford playing Wyatt Earp there is still no director to take the reigns of the project.  On a side note, Basil Iwanyk and Jason Netter are both producing the movie.

The history of Wyatt Earp is stretched just a bit in the movie by combining fact with fiction.  Wyatt considered Doc Holliday to be his best friend and Bat Masterson was his deputy in real life.  Wyatt Earp was at first a gambler but had moseyed his way into a life of law by becoming a Marshall or a Deputy in various western towns like Tombstone, Arizona, and Wichita, Kansas.

Earp became famous because of the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral where he engaged in a gunfight that lead to three outlaw cowboy’s deaths.  He was known to be the deadliest gunman of his day.  Of course, Wyatt never saved his best friend’s son from the clutches of deadly mobsters.

Harrison Ford playing Wyatt Earp seems like a match made in heaven.  With Ford’s famous scowl, his no-nonsense “badass” attitude, and his charisma it would not be surprising if Ford was Earp incarnate.

Another exciting piece of the story is that it will take place during Al Capone’s golden years.  Empire Magazine said that the movie is “a battle of Tommy guns versus six-shooters” which is an action fans dream.

With the script still being written, the movie directorless, and the only big name associated with the cast is Harrison Ford, the tone and style of the movie could go in a hundred different directions.  Even still, Harrison Ford returning to the six-shooter?  It’s a no brainer.

vipflash / Shutterstock.com

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