24 Panels Per Second

Wednesday, 14 November 2012

Episode 38. X-MEN: THE LAST STAND (2006)

Our "Comics go to Washington" series begins with the most politically-charged of the original X-Men trilogy, X-Men: The Last Stand! It's also generally agreed to be the weakest of the three, but has time been kind to the Brett Ratner-directed trilogy capper? And what of its politics? As Churchill once said, "There comes a time when every man must OH YOU GET THE POINT." Tune in to this episode of 24 Panels Per Second to find out what Dru and Dave have to say.

Episode breakdown:
0:00 - 20:51: Intro banter (Dru's outrage, shoe sizes, old man socks, the bee hunt)
20:51 - 21:42: X-Men: The Last Stand trailer
21:42 - 1:35:32: Main discussion: X-Men: The Last Stand
1:35:32 - 1:44:01: Closing remarks

Addenda:

Check out episode 73 of the /Filmcast, where X2 co-screenwriter Mike Dougherty explains what was planned for the Bryan Singer-directed X3 before he jumped ship to direct Superman Returns.
Highlander: The Card Game. There can be only one deck!

Send all feedback to twentyfourpanels@gmail.com. Stay up to date with our blogs at 24panelspersecond.blogspot.com and 24panels.tumblr.com. Follow Dave on Twitter @24panels and Dru @violetbooth. Remember that Dave live-tweets a different comic book movie every Saturday night at 11PM! Like us on Facebook. And don't forget to subscribe (and review us) in iTunes!

Next time on 24 Panels: Who watches the Watchmen? (...We will.)

Monday, 12 November 2012

PREVIEW POST: X-Men: The Last Stand

Yes folks, Dru and Dave are back, and just in time for the American Presidential election!

Wait, what’s that? Already over? Last week?

OK, so we're a bit behind on the times, but our "Comics Go to Washington" series is still timely, right? Right?

Sigh.

Anyway, we are kicking the series off with the 2006 film, X-Men: The Last Stand! Hit the jump for more.

Episode 37. SUPERMAN VS. THE ELITE (2012)

Special guest host James Hrivnak steps in for the absent Dru Jeffries in this concluding episode of our series on "The Value of Superman." Listeners, take note that there are some audio issues with this episode that were unforunately of the "nothing to be done" variety. Specifically, the volume is a tad lower than usual, so you'll have to crank your listening device to get it to the normal level. Make sure you turn it back down when the show is over, lest you suffer something similar to what Manchester Black goes through at the end of this episode's film, Superman vs. the Elite.

Episode breakdown:
0:00 - 15:05: Intro banter (including Dru's absence, The Wolverine and X-Men: Days of Future Past movie news)
15:05 - 16:07: Superman vs. the Elite trailer
16:07 - 1:22:13: Main discussion: Superman vs. the Elite
1:22:13 - 1:31:24: Closing remarks (next series revealed!)

Next time on 24 Panels: X-Men: The Last Stand...

Sunday, 14 October 2012

Reviews@24 Panels: SUPERMAN II (1980)

[While we break for a week from talking about Superman's animated adventures, James drops his two cents on Superman II.]

The production history of Superman II is a long, troubled, and oft-storied one: Originally, director Richard Donner shot the majority of Superman II during principal photography of Superman (1978), but deadlines and a sky-rocketing budget forced the production to switch gears, so the first film could be delivered for a Christmas '78 release. After that film's success, feuding between Donner and the producers led to the director's dismissal before he could return to complete the second film. With the firing of Donner, producers Ilya and Alexander Salkind brought in director Richard Lester (who had helmed The Three Musketeers [1973] and The Four Musketeers [1974] for them) to finish Superman II. However, Gene Hackman didn't return out of respect to Donner, and after a lawsuit the Salkinds didn't want to pay Marlon Brando again (which explains Susannah York's appearance in some crucial scenes). And to make matters worse, Lester didn't even use th majority of Donner's footage. Despite these seemingly-detrimental strikes against it, Superman II is a remarkably coherent, entertaining film. It's held up well, and is still one of the best sequels to a superhero movie.

Episode 36. ALL-STAR SUPERMAN (2011)

All-Star Superman, the comic, teamed an all-star creative team—Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely—with all-star characters—Superman, Lois Lane, Lex Luthor, etc.—for a legendary limited run of 12 issues. All-Star Superman, the film, combines this all-star comic with the all-stars of DC Animation—including the voice casting of Andrea Romano and the production of Bruce Timm—resulting in what is arguably one of their best direct-to-DVD efforts. It's only fitting that the all-stars of podcasting—Dru and Dave... OK, fine, we're pretty much the bottom of the podcast barrel, but at least we love us some Superman. Listen in as we gush over the god, the myth, the man: All-Star Superman.

Episode breakdown:

0:00 - 12:47: Opening banter (including our apologies to James, the Festival de Nouveau Cinema, the extent of Dru's terrible memory, Dave's attempts to see Looper)
12:47 - 13:23: All-Star Superman trailer
13:23 - 1:11:22: Main discussion: All-Star Superman
1:11:22 - 1:20:54: Closing remarks (including Condorman)

Addenda:

Hungry for more Condorman? Rent the movie on iTunes.

Next time on 24 Panels: Superman vs. the Elite...

Friday, 5 October 2012

Episode 35. SUPERMAN: DOOMSDAY (2007)

It's the battle you've waited your whole life for: two god-like titans duking it out in a bloody, destructive fight to the death. Who will come out on top? Superdave, fighting for truth, justice, and the suburban Ontario way? Or Druoomsday, the rocky hulk of a creature with Neil Young-esque sideburns and a receding hairline? You'll have to listen to this episode of 24 Panels Per Second to find out.

Episode breakdown:
0:00 - 24:48: Opening banter (featuring the Peanuts gang, Blendtec blenders, a delicious non-alcoholic toddy recipe, and why you need to go see Dredd in theatres before it's too late!)
24:48 - 25:42: Superman: Doomsday trailer
25:42 - 1:25:43: Main discussion: Superman: Doomsday
1:25:43 - 1:31:05: Closing remarks (The Dark Knight Returns: Part One, Dru's off the 'book)

Monday, 1 October 2012

Preview Post: SUPERMAN: DOOMSDAY

24 Panels returns this week with the beginning of the "Value of Superman" series! Kicking things off, Dru and Dave will be taking a look at the 2007 DTV film Superman: Doomsday!