Babes, Bombs, and Blockbusters Movie News Report 9.22.09

Posted by Mike Gorman on 09.22.2009

From Batman in Batman Forever to Ace Ventura in Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, 411's Mike Gorman ranks his Top 10 Movie Detectives! Plus, hot Marisa Miller pics, updates on Green Lantern & Indiana Jones V, and much more!

Welcome to this week's edition of Babes, Bombs, and Blockbusters where we bring you the latest word on news in the film and sometimes TV industries that is making Tuesday headlines. I'm your host, Mike Gorman, and you know I can be trusted because I am not a fan of the Cinnamon Brown Sugar Pop Tart.

American model Marisa Miller is probably best known for her appearances in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue and her work with Victoria's Secret. She has also had cameo roles in television shows including Entourage and How I Met Your Mother. Miller also took the top spot in Maxim magazine's 2008 "Hot 100" list and serves as an ambassador for the American Cancer Society.











Check out today's news bombs!

Casting calls for new GL film
Details are slowly emerging about the Green Lantern film in production for DC Comics and Warner Bros. Studios and this week there is news about two major roles in the casting process. Calls are out now to cast Sinestro, Green Lantern's arch nemesis in the comic books, and Carol Ferris, the Lantern's love interest. Ferris also eventually became a villain, Star Sapphire, in the comic book but it is uncertain if this plot point will be in this film. Sinestro is a former Green Lantern himself who goes rogue and discover the power of the Yellow Lantern. Hearing that they are using both of these characters is good news for fans of the comic book. They are canon to Green Lantern's origin and will hopefully arrive on screen intact from how they have previously been presented. It will be most interesting to hear who is cast as Sinestro as he will hopefully be the major villain of the film. As far as Carol Ferris goes, I am hoping that they will not attempt to wedge her story as Star Sapphire into this initial film. We have all seen superhero films suffer when they get packed with too many villains. Her story is something that would work well developed further down the road.





Could Indy's dad still be alive?
Last week it was news that Harrison Ford would be willing to step into Indiana Jones' shoes again for the right script and now it seems that Jones's father might not be as dead as we thought after the fourth film. IGN is reporting that the story being developed by Steven Spielberg and George Lucas has a window open for Sean Connery's return if he is interested. An unnamed source said, "Anything is possible in these movies and if Sean wants to return he will become central to the new story." Could this be a glimmer of hope for this sequel after their last dismal outing? The relationship and banter between Connery and Ford were some of the best elements in "The Last Crusade."





Who watches the A-Team?
According to Entertainment Weekly, a Watchmen has joined the ever growing cast of the upcoming big screen adaptation of the A-Team. Patrick Wilson, Nite Owl II of the Watchmen has been cast as a CIA operative. It is not known yet whether he will be a character working against or with the A-Team's Hannibal (Liam Neeson), Face, (Bradley Cooper), B.A. Baracus (Quinton "Rampage" Jackson), and Murdoch (Sharlto Copley). I will say that they are building a pretty solid cast for what I was previously seeing as a throw away film. Jessica Biel's recent casting as an army General still has me guessing but it does look like they are trying to capture the spirit of the original show.





Kirby heirs make claims to character copyrights
The children of comics' legend Jack Kirby have filed legal notices with Marvel Comics and the studios associated with the production of their films that they intend to claim the copyrights for the characters created by their late father. They procured the services of attorney Marc Toberoff, known for his recent victory in the case of Jerry Siegel's family seeking their rights to Superman. Disney reports that they knew of these claims developing when they initiated their recent purchase of the Marvel company and its interests. Transfer of the copyrights would not occur until 2014 at the earliest and are not said to be affecting the plans for Marvel's upcoming film projects. Some of the characters that Kirby created or co-created include: the Fantastic Four, Doctor Doom, the Hulk, Iron Man, Professor X, Cyclops, Magneto, Nick Fury, the Scarlet Witch, Captain America, the toad, and the Blob. I have just one question before I freak out over this… Will this affect my long dreamt production of a solo film starring the Blob? Will Fred J Dukes ever get his due?















Another primetime Emmys' show has come and gone, should you care? Yes! There actually was a lot to talk about from this year's telecast but as this is my quick hits area I will try to keep it down to a few relevant topics.


Neil Patrick Harris as host: Great job, funny and classy at the same time. Coming into his own now at the "Go To" awards show host. A singer too, who knew? 'buster!

Splitting up the genres: Eh, didn't do much for the broadcast and just seemed like an idea that did not really work. It made changing the channel when they hit genres of no interest easier. Busted!

Kristin Chenoweth wins for Pushing Daises: Nice to see a good show get some recognition, sad that the show was canceled. Chenoweth showed a great mix of sincerity and humor when she turned her speech into a plea for work. 'buster!

Vanessa Williams says no: All of the women nominated for Best Supporting Actress pulled on some kind of silly glasses when the cameras cut to them when their names were read except for Vanessa Williams. She said stone faced and shook her head "no." Was this her way of getting in on the joke or her way of saying she was too good for the fun? I think the later. Boo. Busted!

Sarah Silverman's mustache: Funny and quirky as expected but not as funny as her reaction shot when she did not win the Emmy. 'buster!

Stephen Moyer and David Boreanaz present: Great to see two of my favorite vampires present together. Why were there no vamp jokes made though? Was this Boreanaz trying to distance himself from "Angel" yet again? I'm torn on this one. 'buster & Busted!

Time for a dance break: Random. Did we really need this? Busted!

Toni Colette wins for United States of Tara: Yes! Best win of the night. The show totally deserves recognition. 'buster!

Ricky Gervais don't look half bad: Or at least he doesn't according to himself. He was on to something though about the looks required for TV versus films. 'buster!

Dr. Horrible's cameo: I had hoped we might see this villain show up with Harris hosting but Captain Hammer and the rest of the crew too. Great moment for the show and for the Whedon crew. 'buster!









Do you have to actually have a detective badge to make you way onto this week's list of the Top Ten Movie Detectives? No, but you do need to have proven yourself capable of solving a mystery. Some of the people on this did so with skill and craft while others relied on instinct and sheer luck. When considering who to put on this list I relied more on the specific characters, their portrayals, and just how good of a detective they were in the context of their film. The actually success or quality of the film they were in was not a priority as you will see with several of those selected.





10. Basil in The Great Mouse Detective
Yes he is a mouse and an animated one at that but Basil of Baker Street was one of the best portrayals of Sherlock Holmes on film in recent years. The character was taken seriously and used a well honed sense of deductive reasoning to work out the film's plot. His introduction during the film's opening sequence told you all you needed to know about this diminutive detective as we see him get lost in the moment while trying to work out the details of a crime.





9. Ace Ventura in Ace Ventura: Pet Detective
Though probably know better by fans for his wacky antics and flatulence, Ace Ventura is at his core a pretty good detective and definitely memorable. Like the tagline of the film said, when it came to pet detectives, "He's the best there is! (Actually, he's the only one there is.)" Hard to argue with that description.





8. Dick Tracy in Dick Tracy
Brought to life in a great performance by Warren Beatty, Dick Tracy is an over the top character who proves that he can hold his own against the likes of a beauty like Breathless Mahoney (Madonna) while trying to outwit the colorful cast of mobsters who cross his path. He sees the big picture while those around him maintain a more narrow outlook putting him head and shoulders above your every day private dick.





7. Vincent in My Cousin Vinny
Vincent "Vinny" Gambini may not actually be a detective but he definitely shows the skills needed to make this list. A lawyer trying to prove his cousin's innocence, Vinny must deal with many hurdles in his search for the truth. Aided by his devoted girlfriend, Mona Lisa Vito, Vinny is able to eventually rise above the petty antics of the small town legal system and root out what was really going on in the situation. Is he the most graceful of investigators? No. Does he get the job done? Undoubtedly.





6. Batman in Batman Forever
Put down your stones and hear me out on this one. Is Batman Forever the best Batman film ever made? Oh my, no. But, and this is a big but, it is in my opinion the best Batman film to use to highlight the character's detective skills and since Batman is known as the "World's Finest Detective" that has got to count for something. In this film he mastered the Riddler's puzzles with ease and displayed a keen sense of observation. I would like to see a future film take his role as a true detective further showcasing the skills he clearly displays in his comic book appearances.





5. Eddie in Who Framed Roger Rabbit?
What better test of a detective's skills then when they must use their abilities to help someone they
cannot stand? And Eddie, from Who Framed Roger Rabbit? could definitely not stand toons. Who wouldn't when one of these animated hooligans kills your brother? First hired to see if Roger's wife is "playing pattycake" with another man, Eddie must change gears when Roger is accused of killing the "other man." It soon becomes a true old school detective story wrapped up in hilarious packaging.





4. Ed Exley in LA Confidential
In a film that definitely stands out as one of the best of the 90s, Ed Exley stands out as a well crafted and intelligent character. Exley is a young detective with a lot to prove as he attempts to establish himself outside of his father's legendary shadow. He is a by the book detective doing his best to surf the political waves of a corrupt department and in the end he successfully uses his skills in solving the case of the Night Owl murders. This is the role that brought little known Australian actor Guy Pearce into the Hollywood spotlight.




3. Detective Lt. William Somerset in Seven
Methodical and detail oriented, William Somerset is a seasoned pro when it comes to detective work. Able to identify minute details, make unseen connections, and see the big picture like no other detective I have seen on film, Somerset takes us deep into the mystery of the seven deadly sins serial killer and shows us exactly what is happening on that journey like no other character in the film. He is able to see the train wreck coming before anyone else even hears the engine. Sadly not in time to save his partner from his seemingly unavoidable fate. Somerset is the ultimate "cool as a cucumber" detective.





2. Sam Spade in The Maltese Falcon
If there is one character on this list that could truly be called iconic, Sam Spade is that man. With Spade, Humphrey Bogart breathed life into a detective who played all the angles, saw the dominoes where they fell, and did it all with consummate style. Sam Spade was the original trenchcoat and fedora wearing bruiser not afraid to get his hands dirty when it came to solving a case. Walking that line between the lights of the city and the shadows of the underworld, Bogart's Spade personified the genre of film noir. Doing whatever it takes and still coming out on top, though often worse for the wear, were his trademarks.





1. Brendan in Brick
I know a lot of you are probably saying, "Who?", but if you have seen the film I would hope you're right there with me on this one. Brick itself took the film noir genre and brought it into the twisted world that is a contemporary high school. Full of darkness, noir slang, and believable characters set into unbelievable circumstances, Brick follows our "detective" Brendan as he attempts to solve the murder of his ex-girlfriend. Soon we see this outsider make his way deep into the underbelly of the his high school's drug dealing culture. Willing to risk it all to find this mystery's solution, Brendan is more like a modern Sam Spade than a typical high school outcast. If you have not seen this film, do yourself a favor and add it to your Netflix cue today.


Did I miss your favorite film detective? Let me know.




Your Tuesday ‘Tube Bonus Clip

Have you seen the BBC American series "Being Human"? Why the heck not? It tells the exploits of a trio of roommates sharing a house. Sounds boring right? Well did I not mention that these roommates are a Ghost, Werewolf and Vampire who want nothing more than to lead normal lives? The first episode or so due get off to a rocky start but the series soon finds its rhythm and becomes must see television. I leave you today, with one of the best scenes from the series' first season:



One last glimpse of Marisa for the road… enjoy!





Until next week watch out for the bombs, catch a good blockbuster and check out a sweet babe or two. Oh, and for goodness sake, bookmark http://www.411mania.com. Are you using Twitter? You can follow me and 411mania's zones on these pages:

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(All information and gossip gathered from Fark.com, Aintitcoolnews.com, Hollywoodreporter.com, Moviehole.net, Reuters.com, Variety.com, MTV.com, IMDB.com, IGN.com WENN news, and Darkhorizons.com)


Things are not going well, my fudgy faithful! Cinnamon Pop Tarts seem to be available everywhere, even at stores that don't sell food, while our beloved Chocolate Fudge Pop Tarts fight for every inch of shelf space they can get! New tactics are called for and will be revealed soon. Want to help with this toaster pastry war? Drop me a line!