Who would have thought a Nicholas Cage action movie would ignite so much argument? But that’s exactly what Knowing has done, as well as becoming a surprise hit that is slowly developing a cult following. Not bad for a film that was marketed as a retread of Cage’s previous action film Next. But with it’s questions about predestination vs. coincidence and an ending that draws on possible Biblical prediction and the end of the world, Knowing is a step above most popcorn movies by making people actually think about what they are seeing discussed on screen. Considering that this is coming out right after the equally thought provoking Watchmen, there seems to be a movement toward more thought provoking films in the future (much like the Great Depression had done). not to say that all films are going to be like this, I have doubts that the new Wolverine movie is going to encourage online debates between Agnostics and Christians. Still it makes me curious if the new Star Trek film coming out in May might have some intriguing concepts for the audience to wrap it’s mind around concerning predestination.
Archive for March, 2009
No I’m not talking about that classic seventies Saturday morning kids show (okay maybe not so classic), I’m talking about how so many people on line are obssessed by Dr. Manhattan’s CGI’d equipment. What amazes me is that with Judd Apatow flashing real ones left and right in his films and with all the other more thought provoking concepts and images in Watchmen, this is the thing everybody latches on to. Why? What’s so fascinating about a fake, blue penis? Really, what is so interesting about it? Is it because it’s animated and people aren’t used to seeing a cartoon penis in a film (outside of adult films of course)? Whatever the case, to quote Dr. Phil, “Build a bridge and get over it!”
Having just come from seeing Watchmen for the second time I’m more impressed by it than ever. Reading some articles about the writer Alan Moore, led me to an interesting conclusion. Most die hard comic book fans know that originally Moore had intended to use Charleton Comics characters that
dc had gotten the rights to for the story, so instead of Rorschach, Nite Owl, Dr. Mahattan and The Comedian, it was supposed to be The Question, The Blue Beetle, Captain Atom and The Peacekeeper. But DC balked at the idea, having different plans for the characters, so Moore created original characters based in part on the ones he had wanted to use. Personally I think this was a better idea than to use established characters, as you don’t have to contend with any baggage the characters might have had. But oddly enough as time as passed it is the reworked characters who are influencing the originals. In the late eighties and nineties The character of The Blue Beetle resembled Nite Owl pretty closely, an industialist who travels around in an insect shaped flying vehicle and voices doubt about his abilities, eventually quitting after the JLA’s run in with Doomsday in the death of Suprman story arc. But the biggest influence has to be with The Question. Though he doesn’t go around emolating child killers, he is one of the most paranoid characters in superhero fiction. A perfect example of this was in an episode of Justice League Unlimited, where the League asked him why he would think the Girl Scouts were a terrorist organization and he replied, “I thought to ask the question.,” a perfect Rorschach moment.
