Superman will be returning to the silver screen in 2013 with Zack Snyder’s ‘Man of Steel’, which released a trailer recently in front of ‘The Dark Knight Rises’ (2012) and at San Diego Comic Con 2012. It will be the second reboot of the character after Brian Singer’s ‘Superman Returns’ (2006), which did not do well critically nor at the box office. It has been a struggle to get the Man of Steel onto the big screen again after the lackluster response to his previous film, but even now, there are some fans who are in doubt.

First of all, Zack Snyder is a very divisive director. He has given the world gems like ‘Dawn of the Dead’ (2004), ‘300’ (2007), and ‘Watchmen’ (2009), but his recent films have shown a dip in quality. ‘Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole’ (2010) and ‘Sucker Punch’ (2011) are the reasons he has come under fire due to the gratuitous use of slow motion and focus on effects rather than good storytelling.

Snyder is complimented because of his ability to create visually stunning scenes as seen in ‘300’ and ‘Watchmen,’ but he also has a habit of focusing too much on the aesthetics. Thus, many fans are worried that the same will happen as he tackles the mythology and superhero themes associated with Superman.

Another cause for concern is the low-key tone and muted colors of the trailer. These aspects show the influence of the film’s producer, none other than the brilliant Christopher Nolan. Nolan’s work with rebooting Batman has made him a legendary filmmaker, but it may also be what makes this trailer somewhat dull. Nolan prefers to introduce heroes using realism and character-based drama. While this is certainly a good thing in some respects, Superman is far more of a fantasy character than Bruce Wayne. Thus, approaching two different comic book characters in similar fashions may not be the way to go.

On the one hand, focusing on Superman as a character is a welcome approach to the upcoming film. It is important that the audience sees all sides of him, understands where he comes from, sympathizes with him, and feels inspired by his creed to save the innocent. Nolan has shown remarkable strength in creating memorable dialogue and heart-wrenching drama with Batman and his supporting characters. If the ‘Man of Steel’ script takes the same approach to Clark Kent, he may come off better received than with Brian Singer’s Superman, who came across as rather bland and forgettable.

On the other hand, Superman is not as relatable as Bruce Wayne. While the two share copious amounts of handsomeness, Superman has a positive outlook on life and humanity and is concerned with being an inspiration rather than someone to fear. His most common problem is learning how to control his unbelievable power and blend in, whereas Bruce Wayne’s most common problem is his mortality.

The threat of Superman’s villains are also on a much larger scale as many of them seek to conquer or destroy the world rather than just one city. It will be difficult to tackle any sense of realism when you have a character who can hold his breath for hours at a time, shoot laser beams from his eyes, and freeze people with his breath all on top of flight.

The main problem with the ‘Man of Steel’ trailer seems to be that it is does not live up to the inspiring feeling of seeing Superman on the big screen. It looks very similar to the first trailer for ‘Batman Begins’ (2005), and while the dark tone and gritty realism worked wonders for the Caped Crusader, it falls short with Superman. A more impressive trailer would have played on all of the great action scenes that are inherent with the character of Superman as he smashes through buildings, stops speeding trains, and catches falling airplanes.

There are only brief references to fights in the trailer and while the shot of Superman breaking the sound barrier is cool, there does not appear to be one big ‘wow’ moment. For example, compare the ‘Man of Steel’ trailer to any of the Marvel films’ trailers. Nearly all of them have funny dialogue, gripping action, and one truly epic scene that hook the audience in and make them want to see the film.

‘The Man of Steel’ is still a year away and so it has plenty of time to release a second, third, or even fourth trailer to get fans excited. Few people are concerned about the movie being bad because Henry Cavill looks great in the costume and the casting is solid. Still, the audience will need more convincing that the fantasy elements associated with Superman will be intact so that they are left with a film worthy of the Man of Tomorrow.

Image Courtesy of  Miro Vrlik Photography / Shutterstock.com

The article Fans Divided Over ‘Man of Steel’ Trailer appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

On February 18, Whitney Houston’s funeral was celebrated in Newark at the N.J.’s New Hope Baptist Church. What was actually a private service, with 1,500 of Whitney Houston’s loved ones, was broadcasted in its entirely on TV and online in order to give Houston’s worldwide fans the chance to say farewell to the beloved star.

The funeral went on for almost four hours; it was a celebration of Whitney Houston’s life and legacy. Several friends and family members took the stage to share their memories and pay homage to the late diva. Unfortunately, Houston’s godmother, Aretha Franklin, was unable to attend the service due to health problems. Furthermore, Whitney Houston’s ex-husband, Bobby Brown, left the church before the beginning of the service. Aside from these two unfortunate elements, the celebration was glorious. An amazing gospel choir gave a very touching farewell.

All of the people who had the chance to participate in the ceremony shared something special and emotional. Donnie McClurklin sang ‘Stand’, and Tyler Perry passionately described Houston’s personality and her love for the Lord. BeBe Winans, standing with his sister, CeCe, by his side, sang the song ‘I Really Miss You’ right before Bishop T.D. Jakes spoke.

The pastor underlined how love is greater than death, ending his speech with, ‘Love will last forever, for God is love.’ Kim Burnell then gave a touching performance of ‘A Change Is Gonna Come’, adapting it to a description of Whitney Houston’s approach to life and faith.

One of the sweetest speeches was given by Houston’s friend, actor Kevin Costner. He shared with the crowd personal and funny moments. He stressed how he and Houston, despite different thoughts, were very similar. ‘The church was our private bond,’ Costner said. He also talked about the infamous movie ‘The Bodyguard’, which starred Costner and Houston together.

He told the whole story: how he choose her in the first place and how not all of the people involved in the movie’s production were ready to go along with this decision, due to Houston’s inexperience with acting and her race. During his speech he looked very emotional and deeply connected to the late artist and her family. He also described Whitney Houston’s insecurity. He explained how she would often worry about not being good enough or pretty enough and how she was afraid people did not like her.

‘People didn’t just like you, Whitney, they loved you,’ said Costner. ‘God himself wonders how He created something so perfect […] When you sing in front of Him, don’t you worry, you’ll be good enough.’ Alicia Keys then sat at the piano, visibly moved, and talked about how important the 48-year-old singer’s life was. She passionately sang ‘Prelude To A Kiss’, ending it by singing, ‘Whitney is an angel.’

Next, Clive Davis went through a memory of his personal relationship with the artist and her long career, and he talked about being her mentor and producer. He closed his speech by saying, ‘I loved her very much […] Whitney was purely and simply one-of-a-kind […] When I needed her, she was there […] Bobbi Kristina, always be proud of your mother.’

Ray Watson, Houston’s brother-in-law and longtime bodyguard, gave a touching speech and stated, ‘We gotta give back to our entertainers; treat them well, with dignity, treat them with love, and stop ridiculing them.’ Stevie Wonder gracefully took his place at the piano, thanking God for letting him live at the same time as Whitney Houston.

He added that he had a little crush on her when they worked together and said, ‘We loved her so much, and that won’t stop.’ Wonder sang an alternate version of ‘Ribbon in the Sky’, which he modified on his way to the funeral, then concluded with a joyful performance of ‘Love Is in Need of Love Today.’

Patricia Houston gave a long, moving speech, underlining the positive attitude that characterized the late singer, as well as her respect for the Lord. R. Kelly, visibly heartbroken, performed ‘I Look to You’ with the choir.  It was a song he had written and that Whitney Houston had sung in her last studio album. Houston’s cousin, Dionne Warwick, who presided over the funeral, introduced speakers and singers, then read a poem, right before CeCe Winans sang ‘Don’t Cry For Me’ and ‘Yes, Jesus Loves Me’.

After this, Rickey Minor explained how Whitney Houston changed his life and how lovable the artist was from every point of view. As a conclusion, Pastor Marvin Winans sang with his entire family before he started preaching. The ceremony ended with the casket of Whitney Houston leaving the church while her famous performance of ‘I Will Always Love You’ embraced the congregation.

Image Courtesy of    http://www.flickr.com/photos/beaconradio/

The article Whitney Houston’s Funeral Celebrated Her Life and Legacy appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

Recently, the Superman reboot, Man of Steel, has been building its cast for some time now.  However, Warner Brother Studios put the brakes on the release date and extended it to June 14, 2013.

There is some speculation on why this delay was put into place but nothing official has been given out by either the producers or the studio.  The copyright issue on Man of Steel is pushing the date a little too close as production is being delayed along side its release.

The Man of Steel cast has had its fill of rumors, and big names.  Now, the cast is pretty much set with Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Diane Lane, Kevin Costner, Michael Shannon, Christopher Meloni, Russell Crowe, Julia Ormond, Harry Lennix and Antje Traue.  But, with the release date pushed it’s unclear if the cast will stay the same.

No word has come out from the producer, Christopher Nolan, about any cast changes.  When asked about the Man of Steel delay, Henry Cavill, who will play Superman said, “they broke it to me gently…it’s okay, it’s nothing to do with me…I just focus on the character and do my job.”

Cavill also showed his excitement for the movie to start filming.  “I’m really raring to go.  It’s exciting, humbling, and about time to get started,” Cavill said.

The reason why the movie has been delayed about six months is, at this moment, unclear.  Some believe that there are problems with the script that Kurt Jonstad needs to finish.  This accusation could be true.  The script has gone through many changes, and writers since David Goyo penned it.

The more popular belief for the delayed release is that Warner Brothers does not want to go into competition with other big name releases coming out in 2012, such as Quentin Tarantino’s Django: Unchained, Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, or Disney’s Lone Ranger.  Alongside this competition, 2012 is already a big comic-book movie year with The Avengers, and The Amazing Spider- Man.

The copyright issue is said to be pushing it close but not necessarily a problem for the film.  The contract dictates that the movie must go into production before the end of 2012.  With everyone in the cast and crew in place they can easily make that deadline.

Man of Steel is scheduled to come out a little less than two years from now.  With many (including Cavill) antsy for the project to start this delay comes as a disappointment to some but many look at it in a positive light.

The newfound time will allow the writers to fix bugs in the script, and the production team can take its time to make sure everything falls into place.  Nevertheless, it still is a long time till its release in 2013 but having patience always pays off.

cinemafestival / Shutterstock.com

The article The Release of Man of Steel Delayed appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.