Robert Meeks: September 2008 Archives

Honestly, everyone knew there was gonna be a Spider-Man sequel whether we wanted it or not.

Even though she seemed less enthusiastic a year or so ago Kirsten Dunst ("How to lose friends and alienate people") is reportedly interested in reprising her role as Mary Jane in the next Spider-Man film with co-star Tobey Maguire and directed by Sam Raimi.

Splash Page provides the color commentary over at MTV.com.

That initial return reluctance by Dunst is, I believe, based on her awareness that the last Spider-flick ("Spider-Man 3") was a stumbler with some critics and fans. Albeit, a stumbler that made close to billion dollars worldwide. Dunst is said to have only been interested in doing this picture if Raimi and Maguire were back.

I've got her back on that one.

I'm also all for Raimi getting another shot to wow the fans. I loved the first and second films. I wasn't in love with Dunst as Mary Jane, but that didn't concern me much, she did fine.

Even though these sequels are more about commerce for the studios and the rise of the comic book brand in motion pictures, I still want a good story to go along with it.

Good hunting on making another film.

"Heroes" is going to have a tough road this season because it has the unenviable task of having to both redefine itself and simultaneously return to form.

That's talking out of two sides of my big head, but I'll explain. and here is the SPOILER WARNING and a request to watch this last episode online before reading on.

I am inserting Ali Larter here as a break because... she's Ali Larter.

And also because her performance and the show's producers have made her the best example of what I'm talking about.

We get the confirmation that NIKKI is dead and TRACY is another superhuman from what appears to be the same gene pool. Nice. We get something new in the form of Larter playing another character from a different side of the tracks. I know, she has played a duel personality before but...

The Tracy plotline is also feeding us an old mystery in the form of NIKKI's origins which we caught a bit of when she was dealing with LINDERMAN. The show still has to stick to its core mystery: Where the heck do these powers come from?

He may not have been in many high-profile parts in the states lately, but actor-director Kenneth Branagh ("Hamlet," "Frankenstein") is reported to be close to becoming the director of the Marvel Comics produced movie "Thor."

Branagh is negotiating to make the picture and these things have a way of, well, going different ways as time goes on. It appears to be a pretty solid deal according to Variety.

I may be slow to embrace the "Captain America" idea but this is "Thor the God of Thunder" we're talking about. Trolls, Odin the All-Father, that twisted villain Loki and some of the best battle sequences a comic book could pack.

The kid inside who still remembers having his dad buy him a giant sized Thor comic many moons ago wants to see a movie that goes all out.

The script by Mark Protosevich ("I Am Legend") is said to include Thor's earth-born alter ego Dr. Donald Blake. My hope and expectation is that the filmmakers don't ignore a grand opportunity to give audiences a big battle in Asgard (Thor's home).

I know we want to set up an Avengers movie with Ironman, Hulk and all that, but to me, Thor is always best in battle and in his home environment.

Dakota in "Coraline"

The very talented Dakota Fanning is doing the lead voice duties in the animated film adaptation of Neil Gaiman's "Coraline." She said she had not read this work prior to doing this gig or many other graphic novels except one... "300" by Frank Miller for a summer reading assignment. She, uh, loved it.

"Watchmen" Sequel?

There's a poll over at Comic Book Resources asking readers whether they would want a sequel to the unreleased "Watchmen" movie or not. I like CBR and I know they're doing this poll in response to a fired up fan base. But shouldn't we see if the film is going to be any good before we obsess about this?

So far, 52 Percent of those polled chose "Absolutely Not!" ... Darn right.

"Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" lead car revealed

Remember this video that I shot and embedded here a month back? The silvery Chevy Corvette Centennial concept car in the front is supposed to be the autobot "Sideswipe."

More info from Movie Chronicles in the rumors section.

On "Heroes" Noah meets his new partner

A preview of sixty or so seconds from next week's episode was put up by CBR. "Heroes" has taken a bit of a beating by some fans I know, but I think we should watch this little plot twist play out. It gives SYLAR something to do and puts NOAH front and center.

I never imagined Will Smith to be the type who does sequels and prequels, but when your flick grosses half a billion worldwide then the answer is "duh."

Smith is in the planning stages of a prequel to the successful horror/science fiction "I Am Legend." There's more info over at Variety.

Teamed again with director Francis Lawrence, Smith would reprise his role as scientist Robert Neville and we would follow his adventures in those last days of New York after the plague that just about wipes out the world.

There were great moments in "I Am Legend" but I had my reservations about certain parts that seemed to defy the story's logic (yeah, even in sci-fi there are rules).

I'm not going into detail because there are still some who have not seen it. Nevertheless, I'm still excited about work by Francis Lawrence and hope he can get Keanu Reeves to agree to a another "Constantine." I am telling you, that movie was one of the unsung comic book based films.

And this is for Will Smith, the biggest star in the world, who recently confirmed he is NOT going to play Captain America in a Marvel movie despite the rumors, controversy and what not...

I'm not saying you should play Cap or even Isaiah Bradley (The black Captain America), but man, you could if you wanted to and I would go see it.

Heroes has landed and I think it may be OK.

At least the plot that appears to have SYLAR (Zachary Quinto) teaming up with NOAH (Jack Coleman) in future episodes to track down the VILLAINS who have escaped from the Level Five containment area looks like money.

Future PETER proves he is as off beat as present Peter with the mess he has made of the past and present. And could it be that NIKKI really is dead and TRACY (Both played by Ali Larter) are not the same person but related in some way?

There are a lot of questions in the two-part first part of "Heroes" and all of it fuels the mass distraction that is keeping me from discussing some of the rough parts of the story. But I will mention the one that had me a little concerned.

MOHINDER SURESH is not the smartest genius. I discussed his exploits with a friend and fellow 'Heroes" watcher who said he expects "Jeff Goldblum and David Cronenberg to kick down the door" to the Heroes production office and "get their money!"

He's referring to little similarity of mad scientist Dr. Suresh's dip into "The Fly" territory with the self experimentation and what looks to be future mutation.

Overall, "Heroes" has my attention but it lost my friend who said he will probably watch something else. Oh well...

I did tell him that "Terminator: Sarah Connor Chronicles" is on week three and is still going strong.

Just when you need some "Heroes," here it is ready to redeem itself from that second season slip that befuddled new fans and tortured those of us who were enamored from the first season.

I was not able to see the early season review copies so I get to experience the first episode at the same time as everyone else in its regular time slot - and I prefer it that way. But I gathered a few pieces of info from the previews and such. That means I need to toss out a SPOILER warning and I can elaborate on this after the attractive jump image.



I will keep this brief ... get ready for the return of some good old villainy. First I'll mention the same old sames who happen to be returning like LINDERMAN (yes, he's apparently alive and still portrayed by Malcolm McDowell) and semi-villainess/heroine NIKKI.

Yes, multi-personality Nikki who looked as if she perished in a fire last season. Heck, I can't tell who she is now except she may have a new identity, she definitely has new lingerie and she's still played by Ali Larter.

Both of the above are supposed to be dead (especially Linderman, when D.L. killed him it was nasty.) but this is not the case now. And that leads me to the return of SYLAR, who probably needs an infusion of purpose. I know, he's supposed to be scary but that prolonged traveling to America plot last season watered all that down. He's boogyman-lite now. Still, it's interesting that he was a normal type who learned to steal powers.

Now, I am reading that Dr. Suresh has learned - in some way - how to do this.

HIRO meets a super-speed thief and finds a new nemesis and the Newsarama preview tells us that ANDO, Hiro's best pal, may be pitted against him as well.

Also, we're supposed to learn what power ANGELA PETRELLI possesses. And I don't care what anyone says, that lady is a bad guy like no other so her sons Nathan and Peter better grow an IQ quick and figure it out. I'm not sure what Angela's power is, but maybe it's raising the dead with her sons and enemies surviving shootings and time travel and what not.

After a peek at some of the online episodes with character back stories at the "Heroes" official site expect the line between what we are about to see as heroic or villainous to be thin.

Enough fun for now, let's check out the first episode of what will be a two-part opening. I am going to keep track of the series as it progresses here every week with a "Heroes watch" post on the following Tuesday.

For those who have no idea what I'm talking about plot-wise, there will be a recap episode starting at 8 p.m. tonight before the season premiere which should begin around 9 p.m.

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I promised to share the Geoffrey's Comics book club's suggestions for the movie cast of "Y: The Last Man". So on with the show.

So I started with Agent 355 and the suggestion that stuck for me was NAOMIE HARRIS ("Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End"). To be 355 you have to be tough enough to protect Yorick Brown, the last man on earth. And if her turn as Selena in "28 Days Later" didn't prove she was bad to the bone then you weren't paying attention.

Navigate down to see other choices or click here for our next pick.







For Colonel "Alter" Tse'Elon of Israel the group had to mull it over, but ALICE BRAGA ("I Am Legend") worked out for us. Braga would have an opportunity in this film (as a series) to develop this complex character and show her dramatic range.

And, this really matters, Braga doesn't look like a pushover.

Next photo.














Dr. Allison Mann didn't play as big of a part throughout "Unmanned" (Volume one of the 'Y' series) but readers who followed this series know how important she will be in the next nine volumes. So while names like Sandra Oh and Ming Na were thrown out, I suggested GONG LI ("Curse of the Golden Flower").

My geek card might get pulled for this but I almost forgot "Smallville" was returning for an eighth season tonight. I did, however, remember that "Supernatural" was back.

"Smallville" returns minus some cast members like the excellent Michael Rosenbaum (Lex Luthor) who are likely to return in some form later because his disappearance after the secret-revealing conflict in last year's season finale has to be explained somehow.

The show also gains new creative direction who have said they will focus more on Clark Kent and Lois Lane's (Tom welling and Erica Durance) budding relationship at the Daily Planet newspaper.

I am compelled to watch despite the fact I believe "Smallville" has pushed its story almost as far as it can go. I will check out the season premiere tonight (Justice League!) and I sincerely hope it gives me some sign of a new direction. It makes the TIVO season pass, but barely.

The reason I need more TIVO space is because I am adding "Supernatural." For those of you who caught the last season you know what I mean. Escaping from Hell, demon dogs, imbecile ghost hunters and some pretty scary episodes. I had to play catch up on this and I'm looking forward to where the story goes next.

Both shows are on the CW tonight starting at 8 ... More later.

Today is the release of the final issue of "All Star Superman" and I will have to say goodbye to another one of the finer examples of comics storytelling in the last decade.

This Superman comic should not be confused with the other title bearing the "All-Star" title by Frank Miller and Jim Lee, "All-Star Batman and Robin The Boy Wonder." Both books harbor big-name talents on the writing and art side.

And that's where the similarities end.

Writer Grant Morrison and artist Frank Quitely are known to us from their other works and prior ones (Check out "WE3"). Initially, I was skeptical not of the talents involved in this book, but of picking up a Superman title. Over the years there have been many attempts to better interpret the man of steel in the pages of the character's regular ongoing comics but they eventually left me cold.

My shortlist of bright lights in the Superman tunnel were discussed by me here a few weeks ago and I suggested my favorites among the works were "Superman: Red Son" and "Superman: Birthright." I also mentioned "All Star Superman" as well.

The difficulty in telling a story about a character like Superman, a guy who can shatter boulders with his pinkie finger, and giving him a task that challenges him and his humanity is tough for the writers who take on the job. The key with Superman had been found, in my opinion, in the works mentioned above by writers who challenged Superman by taking him out of his invulnerable comfort zone and letting that experience fuel the story.

Over these twelve issues in "All Star Superman" Morrison gives Superman a short time to live and amazing tasks to accomplish before his life ends. The journey had been as funny as Jimmy Olsen becoming a sensationalist newspaper columnist-star, to touching as Superman ignores his own ills to cure the ones of terminal children.

This is not a slash and burn on the work of comic writers handling Superman in current continuity, because I know they have put up some good stuff here and there, but it had never been enough to keep me consistently buying Superman books until "All-Star."

Hats off to the creators for giving Superman - a character some believe to be outdated - a lot more to say.

My suggestion: Whether by individual issues or the inevitable trade edition, read "All Star Superman."

You can never hear enough interesting stuff about "Y: The Last Man" from me, so here's some more.

The comic book club meeting at Geoffrey's Comics tonight will cover the first volume of the graphic novel series.

But that's not the only reason why I'm here.

I have info on some casting and story hints by likely film director D.J. Caruso revealed last week that are worth noting.

"Y: The Last Man" published by DC Comics shingle Vertigo ran 60 issues and ended its five-year run last summer. The comic by writer Brian K. Vaughn and artist Pia Guerra has been in the hands of New Line Cinema (now part of Warner Bros.) and is to be adapted into a film.

I have already mentioned Caruso reportedly wants to cast his "Eagle Eye" star Shia LaBeouf for the role of Yorick, the last man on earth after a holocaust that kills just about every male on the planet. The name of singer-musician Alicia Keys was floated to play Agent 355.

For the record: I love you Alicia but not as three-fifty (Edit: You guys know I'm talkin' about 355, right?).

Anyway... As the last man Yorick is a living target. 355 is a member of a secret special forces unit who crosses Yorick's path in the story and is charged with protecting him.

But it isn't that cool fantasy-women chasing after you thing depicted in those Axe body spray commercials; this is real danger here. And some would even call the story a little controversial considering that this devastated world run by various factions of women, at least in the initial stages, is borderline terrifying. The book reminds us though that this is what could happen to almost any society after a worldwide disaster.

Expect a wish-casting list for the film version of "Y: The Last Man" with some help from the book club at Geoffrey's later this week. And word has it that "Y" is planned to be a movie series speculatively starting in 2010. If you can't wait, there are reprinted collections of the series that can be ordered at most comic shops and major book stores.

There is a more detailed rundown on "Y" at Splashpage and an interview with D.J. Caruso at UGO.

I told you about 'Caprica' the "Battlestar Galactica" prequel which will air as a two-hour movie sometime next year. Now watch the trailer and pay close attention to the mention of the "one true God."

For those who follow the show, this clip suggests all sorts of interesting questions about the evolution of the Cylons doesn't it?

If you can manage to get your hands on a copy of one of the Batman comics that got published with the groovy swear words showing, you can get about $20 to $60 on EBay or the eternal envy of the guy who wrote it - Frank Miller.

Not that any of this is Mr. Miller's fault mind you. In the handful of days this brew has been cooking over the now recalled copies of "All-Star Batman and Robin The Boy Wonder" #10 there have been explanations aplenty about words printed with darker ink and black bars that are supposed to be covering them not being dark enough.

Whatever. You may still be able to see an example here.

Miller gave a response when interviewed over at Hero Complex four days or so ago and basically called it one of those "awful" things that happen. OK, he said it in Miller-speak. This little printing miscue was in his words "just one of those terrible and glorious things that happen time to time in publishing." Later in the interview he asked that DC Comics "not shred the copies."

Of course he would want one of those copies. So if you have an extra copy of All-Star Batman #10 in your pull stack or preorders out there, save one for Frank Miller.

This gets me to "All-Star Batman" which is illustrated by one of my fave artists, Jim Lee. This comic is not meant to be part of the regular Batman story line that goes on in DC universe proper for those of you who care about that. It is a comic that sparks a little debate among those who don't mind the wildly aggressive, violent, borderline-child abusive Batman depicted in this series and those who don't get the story or see its direction.

I don't hear the music on this comic either, but Frank Miller does and for some readers and fans that's good enough.

Miller wrote the script with all of the profanity and the letterer placed the words in the comic and they were meant to be covered while revealing just enough so we get the picture.

Admittedly, I chuckled when I heard about the printing error. Maybe without articulating it I was also thinking this is "terrible" and "glorious." "Terrible" because I wouldn't want some well-meaning preteen fan, who this book is not for, to pick up a copy and have this be his first Batman comic ever. And "glorious" because I've been asking and no one I know has a copy or has even managed to score one... yet.

Robert Downey Jr. and his band of hooligans are at it again. Downey has already told off DC Comics and now "Ironman" director Jon Favreau is representing by letting everyone know what's up with the sequel.

OK, maybe I made that sound more gangsta than it needs to be, but after reading that Rotten Tomatoes has some details-hints on the next Iron-film straight from Favreau then I had to talk trash on their behalf.

Yeah, "The Dark Knight" produced out of Warner Bros. and DC Comics is the great "geek movie" equalizer and will likely earn some film award love from the performance of a certain late actor. But Downey struck back by claiming the number one box office spot when "Tropic Thunder" knocked the Bat out of first place in its debut weekend.

So now Justin Theroux, the 'Tropic' screenwriter, will pen "Ironman 2" and Favreau is dropping hints about shooting some of it in IMAX. Sound familiar?

Sounds like there is a lot of enthusiasm in this project from the creators and it has potential to be as good as the first.

And while I know he is not as cool a villain as the Joker (by far), there is some mention by Favreau of how to handle Ironman's nemesis the Mandarin.

My suggestion? Diminish as many of those demeaning Asian-villain stereotypes as possible. Once again, check out the article here. 

Maybe I had to see him in person to believe it, but Kevin Smith is really, really funny. So is this trailer to his new comedy flick "Zack and Miri Make a Porno."

This picture in the hands of any other writer-director I would be skeptical but for Smith I'll give it a shot. It stars Seth Rogen (Superbad) and Elizabeth Banks (The 40 Year Old Virgin).

I can't embed it on my blog but if you want to see it go here and for all you consenting adults this is the other trailer for you here if you haven't seen it already.

I apologize in advance for only recently realizing that comments were not enabled here at The Modern Mythology blog.

Those who have tried to send some comments alerted me they were prompted to sign-in to movable type. That's a big oops on my part. So gripe, bash, smash, praise a TV show, comic or film, but by all means, comment away.

I'm all eyes and ears when I'm told there's a new product by the creators of "Lost" like the new TV series "Fringe" on Fox. As a fan of this type of sci-fi programming I'm an easy target, but it also marks me as a viewer who may fondly remember the "X-Files."

That may not be a bad thing for "Fringe." Many have tried to channel the style of the 'Files' and this one may turn out to be the closest.

Instead of Fox Mulder and Dana Scully we have FBI agent Olivia Dunham (Anna Torv) and Peter Bishop (Joshua Jackson from "Dawson's Creek"). Toss in Peter's dad who is knowledgeable of a variety of arcane "Frankenstein" sciences named Walter Bishop (a creepy looking John Noble) and the primary team is complete.

Series producers describe the show as a little "Twin Peaks," "Twilight Zone" and "X-Files." Although at moments the opener is a lot more 'House," "Bones" and a touch of the little-discussed comic "Planetary." The graphic series by Warren Ellis and John Cassaday which followed three adventurers as they uncover the "secret history of the world."

This series premiere seems to hint that our primary heroine, Agent Dunham has a lot of discoveries to make and a formidable nemesis.

It is always a treat for me to have a direction in certain types of stories. A connected, consistent goal for the main characters. I believe that the eternal plot line that never ends for an ongoing television series is a product of the past. In recent years, the programs that viewers bond strongly with are the ones that appear to be finite. Concepts that work out to having a true conclusion.

These types of stories are like hero journeys. This applies to the excellent "Battlestar Galactica" and will ultimately apply to Showtime's "Dexter."

Sure, regular mystery episodes may not require a consistent plot like being stranded on an island or uncovering a major extraterrestrial conspiracy to be a success. Look at "CSI" and its renegade brethren - all of them take on a new story every week and stay somewhere in the top twenty in ratings.

I only watch the first few minutes of "CSI Miami" for the Caruso opening lines, but that's it, I swear.

All in all, "Fringe" hints at having a strong direction and may have earned a permanent spot on my TIVO season pass. We'll discuss more on it later, but I want to make sure you catch the encore of the premiere which runs Sunday on Fox.

The buzz was big on this last year before the series premiere of "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles" and those first episodes delivered.

As the first short season progressed things slowed considerably in this series based on the popular film series starring the Governator. By the season finale we are introduced to Brian Austin Green (yeah, from "90210") as Derek Reese, brother of Kyle Reese from the future (John Connor's father from the first film).

Green's back story was a big part of helping the show get back to the fast-paced action and underlying secrets that makes 'Sarah Connor' a significant piece of "Terminator" mythology.

The first episode of this season kicks off where the last one ended and ... man, does it deliver. Outside of "Lost" and "Battlestar Galactica" this show features one of the best casts in sci-fi television. Set your TIVO or DVR or VHS (I've still got one - I'm not ashamed.) and check it out.

There's also a little surprise for fans of the films in the season premiere. You should be able to watch it online here.

I watched HBO's new regular series "True Blood" tonight and now I understand why real critics are usually introduced to a new series by seeing more than one episode.

If I were to go to my first instinct based on that fifty-plus minutes I watched, I might be inclined to move on to something else. But my faith in the creators behind the series urges me to give the next episode a try.

In the series opener we are introduced to Sookie played by Anna Paquin (ALL THE X-MEN MOVIES) and her potential vampire love-sexual-tension interest Bill played by Stephen Moyer (THE STARTER WIFE). In this world vampires are in an uneasy integration into everyday human society. A blood-substitute exists which enables vamps to nourish themselves without feeding off of people. We meet Sookie and Bill and other assorted folks in an out-of-the-way town in Louisiana.

 'Blood' is produced by Alan Ball (SIX FEET UNDER, AMERICAN BEAUTY) and adapted from the novels of Charlaine Harris. I have not read Harris and cannot give you an honest point by point description of what I may be looking for in the filmed series that was not in the books. From what I gathered from the first televised episode and a comic book special preview passed out at Comic-Con, there is enough thrown out there to make me curious to return. Barely.

This is more about what I am looking for from HBO.

We have seen "OZ," 'The Wire" and "The Sopranos." This channel is the one that taught the others how to throw out the playbook. (Check out "Dexter" and "Weeds" on Showtime.) I am concerned that this cable station has stopped going all out.

HBO didn't continue with "Carnivale" and "Deadwood." Some may argue those programs ran their natural course, but ... 

Word has it there was an opportunity to adapt the violent, religious graphic novel series "Preacher" and HBO passed.

I think it's great that Ball is interested in trying some "lighter fare" when it comes to his new series. But I think it's bad for us as viewers when Ball strays too far away from the dark side.
This is Mr. "Six Feet Under" we're talking about here. And not that 'Blood' isn't a little dark but it's heavy on the southern quirk.

I was packing up my leftovers from Sunday dinner and told my mom I've got to get home to watch the new HBO series.

She says: "The one with the vampires? Oh, I can't watch that." 

Mom, you have nothing to worry about.

Have you been watching the new series? The one with simulated human beings running amok and secret government plots to secure and locate them?

Yes, I know, the idea isn't too far off "Blade Runner," but "Gemini Division," a web series released by NBC Universal has a ways to go before being compared to director Ridley Scott's (GLADIATOR, BLADE RUNNER) sci-fi classic.

Is that even fair for me to try and relate these two? Maybe. But I'm doing it for two reasons: first, simply on the basis of the concept. Second, because "Blade Runner" was not a darling when it first hit the screens either, but it did become one later.

'Gemini' is released on the web and runs new episodes about four times per week that last only a few minutes at a time.

These episodes come complete with backdrops that are sometimes obviously "green screened" (Layered in behind the actors in editing) and a fair share of product placement and logo flashing.

The best part of "Gemini Division" is the always interesting to watch Rosario Dawson especially for me. She plays a cop who discovers her fiance' is probably one of those "simulants."

Just in case you weren't sure... "HAWKEYE IS A BAD-A--!"

I know someone out there is reading the "Old Man Logan" storyline running through the regular "Wolverine" comic series. Mark Millar and artist Steve McNiven continue to deliver the goods.

I would call the third part of this 50-years-in-the future series thrilling or something like that, but it isn't that kind of party. To thrill a
reader usually involves an element of surprise of some sort.

There's no surprise that several someones are getting whipped when Wolverine snaps out of his anti-violence trip. Regular readers of Wolverine are
waiting for the inevitable "Unforgiven" moment in this story and I know it's coming you know it's coming and so does Millar.

I'll spare you too many details but the third part of this story includes more surprise future characters, more brilliant rendering by McNiven and a little action sequence that proves again that even a blind, old-codger Hawkeye is more dangerous than traditional readers would
think.

Remember it was Millar who portrayed Hawkeye better than he had been in years over in "The Ultimates" series.

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (AP) -- Bill Melendez, the animator who gave life to Snoopy, Charlie Brown and other Peanuts characters on scores of movies and television specials, has died. He was 91.

Melendez died Tuesday at St. John's Health Center, according to publicist Amy Goldsmith.

Melendez's nearly seven decades as a professional animator began in 1938 when he was hired by Walt Disney Studios and worked on Mickey Mouse cartoons and classic animated features such as "Pinocchio" and "Fantasia."

He went on to animate Peanuts specials such as "A Charlie Brown Christmas" and was the voice of Snoopy, who never spoke intelligible words but issued expressive howls, sighs and sobs.

Melendez was born in 1916 in Hermosillo in the Mexican state of Sonora. He moved with his family to Arizona in 1928 and attended the Chouinard Art Institute.

Melendez met Peanuts creator Charles M. Schulz in 1959 while creating Ford Motor Co. TV commercials featuring Peanuts characters.

The two became friends and Melendez became the only person Schulz authorized to animate his characters.

For only a short time last week the crew for "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" were shooting a series of action sequences here in Long Beach, CA. During a prep time in the shooting I captured some video of a car that is apparently being used for the film. Some, including myself have described it as the Chevy Volt concept car.

Since then the video and images have gone a few places. GM spokesman Rob Peterson responded in an interview with Inside Line.

"I've never seen that vehicle and I've never seen that color," he said. "You can tell it caught me off guard. I didn't even realize it (the Volt) was out of the state of Michigan."

OK ...


Peterson admitted he was caught off guard by the video: "I've never seen that vehicle and I've never seen that color."

OK, I'll buy that ...

Peterson said he did not know such details as the name of the color of the car, which appears to be either a deep blue or purple, although he said it may have been "Photoshopped."

WHAT???

My answer is a big "no" on the "PHOTOSHOPPED" suggestion. (I got a kick out of that one actually - That would be more work than I have time to do.)

Most viewers will see that altering of those images is unlikely. And just like the crew over at T-LAMB (Transformers Live Action Movie Blog) I will agree that if the color is unfamiliar to Mr. Peterson then it was likely a special color for the production of the film.

Inside Line also reports that the Volt will not be a robot in the movie. It will have a brief appearance and is not in its final design form. When it will be officially unveiled was also left unclear.

I'm sorry to hear all of this. The Volt looks like it would have been a cool Transformer.

After a couple weeks the quiet consensus in the media was that the disagreement over the movie distribution rights for Alan Moore and Dave Gibbon's "Watchmen" may be settled before the film directed by Zack Snyder (300) will be released March 2009.

That continues to be the hope of fans, especially the ones I spoke with at Geoffrey's Comics last week.

The New York Times reported Saturday (Aug. 30) 20th Century Fox plans to seek an injunction to block Warner Bros. from releasing the film. What appeared to be something between studios could be something between Fox, Warner and even the fanboys and fangirls who are waiting with great anticipation for this film.

I mentioned previously - and it has been widely reported - there has been talk of boycotting Fox releases if "Watchmen" does not reach theaters. USA Today did a story last week on whether or not this could happen and if there would actually be fuel for such a backlash.

This is the Long Beach set on the last night of filming and the crew is setting up yet another scene that will involve an explosion. Unfortunately this is before the blast happened (thirty minutes later... darn it).

Of course there are excellent takes of the blast at Movie Chronicles and Transformers Live Action Movie Blog (or T-LAMB).

We have the Chinese police cars skidding into action, some crew putting stuff on top of the set cars and possibly the director himself putting things in order.

Here's the video: