NYC Film Critic

This summer’s final comic book-inspired movie is Captain America: The First Avenger, arriving in theaters July 22nd from Marvel Studios.  It’s both a World War II-era period piece and the final piece of the puzzle in what will become next year’s big superhero extravaganza, The Avengers, an all-star team-up movie featuring Iron Man, Thor and The Hulk among others.  I spoke with Kevin Feige, the head of Marvel Studios, and Joe Johnston, the director of Captain America for the July issue of Film Journal.  Follow the links to read both pieces.

More Marvels: Kevin Feige Guides Resurgence of an Iconic Comic-Book Brand

Avenger Auteur: Joe Johnston Shapes a Muscular Captain America

Time for my weekly round-up of TWoP content, beginning with reviews of four big releases this weekend, including Cars 2 and Bad Teacher. Follow the links below:

Cars 2: World Gone Wrong
Bad Teacher: As Nasty As She Wants to Be
Conan O’Brien Can’t Stop: Team Coco Forever
A Better Life: Down and Out in East L.A.
Cameron Diaz’s Best Bad Moments
Five Ways to Modernize the Footloose Remake
I Want My DVD: July 21
TV on DVD: July 21
The Best Comedy Concert Films

My second week at Television Without Pity brings two reviews (including one of this week’s big blockbuster, Green Lantern), a couple blog posts and a photo gallery.  Follow the links below:

Green Lantern review
The Art of Getting By review
I Want My VOD
I Want My DVD
Famed Movie Underachievers
Memo to Hollywood
Worst Superhero Movie Costumes

As of this week, your trusty NYC Film Critic became the lead movies writer and general editor for the snark-tastic website Television Without Pity.  I’ll be posting daily reviews, interviews and other posts to the site, so drop by early and often.  My first batch of posts include a review of Super 8, the new J.J. Abrams small-town sci-fi picture, a piece about which reveals of alien monsters are the most effective and finally, a round-up listing which digital tweaks we’d make to recent movies in the wake of The Hangover Part II tattoo incident.

So what does this mean for this particular site?  Well, less original content for starters.  I may still post a few reviews now and then, but the bulk of my posting will be over at TWoP going forward.  I’ll make sure to provide regular links to that content here though, so it won’t be going entirely dormant.  But go ahead and update your bookmarks to include TWoP’s The Moviefile blog.  Look forward to seeing you all in my new digs!

X-Men: First Class
Directed by Matthew Vaughn
Screenplay by Ashley Miller, Zack Stentz, Jane Goldman, Matthew Vaughn
Starring James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Kevin Bacon, January Jones, Jennifer Lawrence
***

Fifth in production order but technically second in terms of continuity, X-Men: First Class, the latest feature starring Marvel Comics’ not-so-merry band of mutants, acts as a prequel to the first three X-pictures while running vaguely parallel to that Wolverine movie that stunk up theaters two summers ago.

(more…)