The DC/WB Superhero Movies Thread

[Irish]

I’m curious. We’ve all pretty much agreed that the notion that violent video games incite real life violence is bullshit, right? And before that, the notion that rap or heavy metal music was inspiring youths to go out and enact violence was also seen as being quite ridiculous. And for years we’ve held a similar stance as it regards violence as depicted in movies and TV.

Yes and no.

I don't think, for example, that "Mortal Kombat" causes real life violence. Like, nobody puts down a controller and then runs out in the street yelling "FINISH HIM" and punching strangers.

But I do think media has a direct influence on the way people think and feel, their long term decisions and value judgments, their worldview and ambition.

There's also direct evidence that pop culture influences government policy, eg: "War Games" and Reagan, "24" and Bush 43.

This must be the case though, no? Because otherwise Fox News wouldn't be a thing and advertising would have no effect on anyone.

So then, why the hell are so many people now suddenly convinced that a movie about a goddamn cartoon comic book villain is gonna bring on mass hysteria and waves of violence? And to the point where some are apparently trying to get the military involved?

The io9 article pissed me off. First, these pop culture writing fuckheads run around calling themselves "journalists," then they publish an FBI memo verbatim with almost no context, and they never asked the obvious question: How often does the DoD warn service members about whatever? Was the "Joker" warning an anomaly or was it merely a routine memo in a pile of other, routine memos?

Nope. None of that. Instead they went with the most viral, clickbaity piece of shit content they could.

(Nevermind the hypocrisy of sowing fear over "Joker" while they'd previously screamed in defense of videogames after the last round of mass shootings.)

[Pop Trash]

I mean, there literally was a mass shooting at a screening of a Batman movie back in 2012. I don't blame the film of course, but there are lunatics who are going to use the symbolism of Batman / Joker to get their points across. The Manson family in the Manson documentary from the '70s talked about how western TV shows warped their minds and the Manson murders were just deserts for putting murderous thoughts into their impressionable young brains. Tarantino (who has been blamed for his share of violent movies) invoked this in OUATIH.

[Peng]

[Peng]

I get the synergy, but this is going to confuse people when it plays in front of Phoenix's Joker lol.

[Dukefrukem]

Guaranteed she says "Harley Fuckin' Quinn" in the final cut.

[TGM]

Getting some serious Suicide Squad vibes from that trailer, which isn’t exactly exciting me any. *shrug*

[Skitch]

I get the synergy, but this is going to confuse people when it plays in front of Phoenix's Joker lol.

Nah

[Peng]

Yah

(I mean, I just played it during dinner and my mom was like "oh, the joker that will be theater?")

[TGM]

Nah

I mean, probably though. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve encountered people who were confused that the X-Men or FF movies didn’t tie in with the MCU movies over the years, and now that DC’s producing DC movies that take place outside of the DCEU, particularly starring a character that’s already IN the DCEU? Yeah, there will DEFINITELY be people who are confused by this.

We’re not talking about people on movie forums or social media, mind you. Just regular folk who follow along, but do not at all follow any of the movie news or behind the scenes stuff. Like, even in comic book stores I’ve overheard conversations where people were convinced Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine would make a cameo in one of the Avengers movies. And this was YEARS before any talks of a Fox merger were made public. They follow the comics, and they follow the movies as they release, they just don’t follow the online drama.

[Skitch]

I know what people you mean. Irish knows I know what people you mean. They're irrelevant. It will be okay.

[Peng]

They're irrelevant, but also will be confused.

[Skitch]

They're irrelevant, but also will be confused.

They will be. They will complain. After they purchased tickets, watched the movie, and exit the theater.

[Wryan]

Well that doesn't look very good, does it?

Does the movie know it's a movie?

[Skitch]

It looks great! But so did Suicide Squad trailer. So jury is way, way out.

[Skitch]

Y
(I mean, I just played it during dinner and my mom was like "oh, the joker that will be theater?")

Your mom? Dinner?

QUOTE OH, THE JOKER THAT WILL BE THEATER? ENDQUOTE

What the fuck is evening happening at your house, how old are you, how is this even being presented as any form of argument?

(If you are not native English speaking person I would like to delete this post in advance.)

[Dukefrukem]

Well that doesn't look very good, does it?

Does the movie know it's a movie?

I LOLed.

But surely there needs to be something else going on in this thing, otherwise what's the point? I could have seen a Batman / Joker crossover or if they had done something like Thor Ragnarok and teamed her up with Posion Ivy... but you might as well make a stand alone Alfred film if this is the stuff they are going to put out.

Ivan how you feeling about drafting this in the movie fantasy league? Still would have taken it in the second round if this trailer had dropped a week earlier?

[Dukefrukem]

It looks great! But so did Suicide Squad trailer. So jury is way, way out.

Suicide Squad looked 1000x time better than this.

Remember they even turned us on to Jai!

http://matchcut.artboiled.com/showth...l=1#post550773

http://matchcut.artboiled.com/showth...l=1#post543278

[Dukefrukem]

And of course, number8 nails it.... 3 years ago

I'm willing to bet it is gonna be essentially a Harley movie, though, with other heroes appearing in it in the same way Colossus was in Deadpool.

[Grouchy]

That's my main gripe with that trailer - for a Birds of Prey movie, it doesn't seem to be interested in showcasing anyone but Harley. I hope it's just the marketing guys having influence on the editing.

[megladon8]

The aesthetic is awful.

[Dukefrukem]

The aesthetic is awful.

I didn't think DC could look any darker...

[Irish]

I was confused, in the same way I was confused by the new Michael Bay thing.

The trailer doesn't indicate who the villain is, what the story is about, or who's in the movie beyond one major star. It's just rando shots of explosions and violence, with occasional quips that flop without context.

It took a good minute and a half for me to recognize Edith Piaf's voice and the Marilyn Monroe references ... but beyond that, I got nothing from this.

ETA: "Birds of Prey" debuts first week of February, 2020. Years past, that would have been a terrible sign. Not sure if Warners is dumping the movie or there was just no more room on the calendar.

[Grouchy]

I'm assuming the main villain is Ewan McGregor as Black Mask... without his distinctive Black Mask, apparently.

[Skitch]

Yet if the trailer explained the plot and villain ya'll be bitching it gives the whole movie away.

[Dukefrukem]

Touche. There needs to be an in-between though... where marketing meets information. Joss Wheedon's Avenger's trailers; They don't show anything in context but give us a taste of what to come. Both the Avengers and Ultron trailers are brilliant in that regard.