Strollerderby : wolverine

Best of FameCrawler - Week of May 1st

Whit Honea — Fri, 01 May 2009 20:00:00 GMT

Details Revealed About SJP Twins: Elisabeth Hasselbeck Is Her Surrogate!

Rosie O'Donnell's Marital Spat Gets Twittered By Neighbor

BREAKING: Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick Expecting Twins!

Gavin Rossdale Had A Secret Romance?

Portraits of the Artists as Young Men - Before They Were Famous

Wolverine Goes to Disneyland

Sarah Jessica Parker - Baby Bump On Display

Patton Oswalt Welcomes a Baby Girl

Brangelina Started Because Jennifer Aniston Is A Secret Lesbian?

Jennifer Aniston Adopting A Boy!

Superman Comic Sells For Over 300k

Brett Singer — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 16:00:00 GMT

Action Comics #1, featuring the first appearance of Superman, sold for $317,200. It was first published in 1938, with a cover price of 10 cents. The owner bought it in 1950 for 35 cents. Amazingly, the issue is still in mint condition, hence the high price it brought at auction. There are only 100 copies of Action Comics #1 in existence. Many of the original issues were probably thrown away by somebody's mom. Oops.

The buyer was John Dolmayan, drummer for System of a Down. He said he bought it "for a client." (That's the kind of thing guys tell their wives when they spend this kind of cash on a comic book. I kid. Sort of.) Dolmayan has a huge comics collection and is also a dealer.

When I was about 10 years old, I was in a comic book store (Dragon's Den on Central Avenue in Yonkers) and saw a copy of Incredible Hulk #181, which features the first appearance of Wolverine. (Note: technically Wolverine's first appearance is in Hulk #180, but he only appears in one panel and #181 is worth more to collectors. For a very nerdy discussion of this important topic, click here.) The price was 10 dollars. I decided that was too high and didn't bother. Today that comic book sells for between $1,000 and $2,000, depending on condition.

Save those comics, kids. Don't let mom throw them out. You never know - they could be worth big money some day. Heck, at this point, it beats the stock market, right?

Image/Source: Daily News

Power Ranger Toys For Babies And Adults

Teen Dad's Father Wearing Halloween Mask In Public

Interview - Disney Princesses Toy Designer

Photo - Obama Shocked by Schoolkids

Fun Stuff To Do When The Kids Get Older

Letting Kids See Watchmen

Brett Singer — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 23:00:00 GMT

Lisa Belkin wonders if her 15-year old should see "Watchmen," this weekend's number one movie. His 18-year old brother saw it and pronounced it brilliant. I won't keep you in suspense (I know, you were on the edge of your seat), but Lisa eventually capitulated and let the younger son go. Spoiler: he liked it.

Having seen the film, I can say that it is definitely not for kids. The R rating should deter parents, but really it's the subject matter that they should be looking at. For the record, I enjoyed the film version of "Watchmen"; it's very faithful to the original comics (aka "graphic novel"), has some flaws, but overall is very much worth seeing. This column at The Onion AV Club by Tasha Robinson does a great job of breaking down the differences between the two, points out some missteps, and is good reading if you're interested.

For our purposes, the question is "how do I decide whether or not a movie is appropriate for my child?" Movie ratings help, but only up to a point. A commenter at the Times' website points out that "Dark Knight" was rated PG-13, which in my opinion is absurd. Great film, one of the best I've seen, and Heath Ledger's performance was incredible and deserving of an Oscar. Part of what makes his Joker so amazing is that he is really, truly disturbing, more so than the bone-popping-out-of-an-arm style of violence on display in "Watchmen." To me, and I believe to my kids, psychological violence is more troubling than physical violence. Not that I want them to see the extreme grossness that "Watchmen" has. But a movie's rating doesn't always tell the whole story.

What I do with superhero movies is see them first. I know. I make the ultimate sacrifice, go on opening weekend with a bunch of guys wearing Captain America t-shirts, and decide whether or not the flick is kid-friendly enough. "Iron Man" was, although the opening sequence is questionable. "Hulk" was borderline, but my then 7-year-old didn't want to see that one anyway. (Although he does love my blog post written from Hulk's point of view.) I thought "Spider-Man 3" would be too scary for him (Venom), but he was unfazed; actually, I think he was a little bored (the bizarre musical number).

What makes this part of my parenting job easier is that I actually want to see superhero movies. Belkin, not so much: when asked by a commenter why she didn't just see "Watchmen" first if she was so concerned, she replied: "You are right, I should have seen it if I felt so strongly about helping to give context to the message, but, frankly, I couldnt [sic] stand the thought of sitting through it." At two and a half hours, I can't really blame her. But if she had seen it, she would have found out that along with the cartoonishly graphic violence (not a lot, but what's there includes someone having their hands cut off with a power saw) is a very violent rape scene, a moment is that is much more graphic than the one in the original comic. Do I think most fifteen year olds have seen something like that in a movie already? Probably. Does that mean I want them to see that without me telling them what's wrong with that behavior? Probably not. For me, seeing a film is the best way to determine whether or not you want your child to see it, no matter what age they are. Fifteen may be too old to be concerned about what sort of entertainment your kids consume. But even if you don't censor it, it's probably a good idea to know what they watch.

Source: NY Times

Image: AVClub.com

Cookie Monster Cupcake

Angelina Jolie Could Always Use an Extra Baby

Should Chris Brown Be Getting Out the Kids' Vote?

Soldier Gives Birth At Army Barracks

Wolverine Blow Up Toy

Brett Singer — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 18:00:00 GMT

There's no way to say this. You have to see the photo. Here. Look.

I mean, come on! How does somebody not notice the placement of the, um, blowhole at the factory? It's hilarious, but it couldn't be a mistake, could it?

A few years ago I saw a segment on Michael Moore's old TV show that talked about secret acts of corporate sabotage. Sure, we've all stolen a box or two of paper clips. But who among us has secretly painted Adolf Hitler into a mural at Disney World? That's what I imagine this little mix-up is.

And no jokes about how the toy designer must be a big Hugh Jackman fan. Please. (Here's the trailer for the upcoming 'Wolverine' movie in case you don't know what I'm talking about.)

If you buy this for your kid, do you say something? You really can't, right? This toy seems destined to be a bachelorette party gag gift.

Source: Manticore's Moustache via Buzzfeed

Photo - Obama Shocked by Schoolkids

RENT Too Risqué For Some Schools

Fun Stuff To Do When The Kids Get Older

The Dark Knight -- parents strongly cautioned (to go see it)

Brett Singer — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 19:00:00 GMT

Let's get one thing out of the way right now – you shouldn't bring your children. They might want to go, but unless they have a very high tolerance for a long movie (2 and half hours) and an abnormally high tolerance for what might be the most frightening performance ever (Heath Ledger's Joker), I'd get a sitter.

Now: this is some incredible movie. At first, I was a little bit apprehensive. Part of that feeling was the hype, which was so intense that it seemed impossible anything could live up to it. (Part of it was also that the movie didn't start until almost 1am because we had to sit through 7 commercials, none of which I remember at all – money well spent, advertisers. But I digress.) There are some slow spots, especially in the beginning, and I think the director, Christopher Nolan, could have cut 10 or 15 minutes of film and made it a tighter movie. But that's nitpicking, because there are several scenes, some just quick moments and some long, exciting action sequences, that will put your jaw on the floor.

The saddest thing about Heath Ledger's death is that his daughter will never know her father. But it's fair to say that if an actor had to go out with one performance, this is that performance. He's so good that I completely forgot I was watching an actor, which, for me, almost never happens. (It's worth pointing out that Gary Oldman as James Gordon, and Morgan Freeman as Lucius Fox, do the same thing in smaller and less flashy roles.) He's frightening, but not the way a horror movie villain is frightening. It's not shock value, although there is some of that (there's a bit with a pencil that might be the best 5-second description of a character in the history of cinema.) Without giving anything away, The Joker is referred to as a "terrorist" a couple of times, but unlike the terrorists in our world, this one has no cause that he fights for. He's just… mad. Not angry-mad, just flat out crazy. And Ledger captures that in every possible way. You could teach an acting class using this movie – what he does physically, vocally, emotionally; it's all stunning to watch.

The rest of it is, for the most part, equally good. I don't care about the love story, but it's fine I suppose and does serve the story. Aaron Eckhart is a solid actor and he does a good job as Gotham City District Attorney Harvey Dent. Christian Bale is by far the best Batman yet, although Ledger is so good that he really takes over the movie. Michael Caine is a good Alfred Pennyworth, Maggie Gyllenhaal is fine as token love interest Rachel Dawes; she's more than that, I guess, but it's not her movie. Gary Oldman is amazing; as in "Batman Begins," he somehow manages to completely capture the essence of a fictional comic book character that isn't a superhero, meaning that, as an actor, he has fewer details available to work with. I can't explain it but he IS Jim Gordon.

The nits to pick if you want to go there: some of the dialog is hokey (although the lines written for Ledger are brilliant.) There are a few slow spots. At times the action sequences are a tad frenetic, here and there. But it really doesn't matter. You'll read a lot about the surprising depth of this movie, and this is true to an extent. "The Dark Knight" is incredibly entertaining and does have some thoughtful moments amid the comic-book chaos, but there's no need to over think them. I would say just relax and enjoy it, but it's not a relaxing experience. Ledger's Joker is uncomfortable to watch, but in a good way. I don't want to give anything away, so you'll have to see it for yourself (but, as I said, get your tickets early; even the 12:30am showing was completely sold out.)

Now, despite the fact that there isn't much in the way of blood, this is not a film that you should take your children to see. Obviously, you know your offspring better than I, so if you think they can handle it, that's your call. And of course older kids will be fine. I hesitate to suggest an age-range, but I recommend seeing it yourself first if you're not sure. Worst-case scenario – you get to see it twice. Believe me, that's not a bad thing.

image: Reuters

Batman: get your tickets now

Set Your Alarm for a Romp Through LEGO Batman: The Video Game

Maggie Gyllenhaal on Letterman- He Wishes

Spying on the Neighbors: 7-17-08

Sexy Superhero Parents: The Top 10

Little Matilda Had Heath's Heart

Batman: get your tickets now

Brett Singer — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 20:42:00 GMT

So, being a guy who sees superhero movies, I wanted to see the new Batman movie. Today.

A friend wanted to come with me, so I couldn't pull my usual "go during the day when it's not busy" thing. So OK, let's see when its playing… What? Sold out? You gotta be kidding me.

Well, I'm not. If you're planning on seeing The Dark Knight this weekend, you'd better get your tickets in advance. This is unbelievably annoying. I tried at 2pm to get tickets to a 10:30pm showing, and it was already sold out. The reviews so far are over the top in their praise. Over at Rotten Tomatoes, a site that aggregates reviews from various sources, the rating is a whopping 94% positive (the only film with a higher rating is Wall-E.). If you go to the "top critics" section (print outlets and sites like salon.com), only a couple of the reviews are negative, which is extremely unusual for a comic book flick.

A lot of the interest in this film is because of Heath Ledger's death, but I've never seen anything like this. A movie that you can't get tickets to unless you go at midnight, which is what I'm doing? Come on. (And yes, I know I'm nuts.)

I'll let you know what I think of the film, and whether or not it's appropriate for children, later tonight. But for now, if you plan on going, order those tickets early, Bat-fans. Otherwise, you ain't getting in.

See you tonight -- different Bat-time, same Bat-channel...

image: Rotten Tomatoes

Best of FameCrawler: Week of July 11th

Whit Honea — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 20:00:00 GMT

Preg-a-licious! Is Fergie Expecting?

Photos Of Maddie Briann, They're Official

Sexy Superhero Parents: The Top 10

Is Michael Jackson Dying?

Nicole Kidman's Dad Reveals Secret of Sunday's Name!!

THESE Two Are The Hottest Celebrity Parents, For Seriously

Photos! Who Is Diana Bianchi?

Wanted: Nanny for the World's Most Famous Family

Angelina's Due Date - Got It!!!!

Angie And Brad's New Baby!

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt's Baby Names!

Angelina's Paparazzi Proof Room

Strollerderby : wolverine

Best of FameCrawler - Week of May 1st

Superman Comic Sells For Over 300k

Wolverine Blow Up Toy

Power Ranger Toys For Babies And Adults

Teen Dad's Father Wearing Halloween Mask In Public

Interview - Disney Princesses Toy Designer

Photo - Obama Shocked by Schoolkids

Fun Stuff To Do When The Kids Get Older

Letting Kids See Watchmen

Heath Ledger's Daughter Gets His Oscar

Cookie Monster Cupcake

Angelina Jolie Could Always Use an Extra Baby

Should Chris Brown Be Getting Out the Kids' Vote?

Soldier Gives Birth At Army Barracks

Wolverine Blow Up Toy

OctoMom Video Blog at RadarOnline

Photo - Obama Shocked by Schoolkids

RENT Too Risqué For Some Schools

Fun Stuff To Do When The Kids Get Older

The Dark Knight -- parents strongly cautioned (to go see it)

Hulk want puny blogger to review Hulk movie

Batman: get your tickets now

Set Your Alarm for a Romp Through LEGO Batman: The Video Game

Maggie Gyllenhaal on Letterman- He Wishes

Spying on the Neighbors: 7-17-08

Sexy Superhero Parents: The Top 10

Little Matilda Had Heath's Heart

Batman: get your tickets now

Hulk want puny blogger to review Hulk movie

Set Your Alarm for a Romp Through LEGO Batman: The Video Game

Maggie Gyllenhaal on Letterman- He Wishes

Spying on the Neighbors: 7-17-08

Sexy Superhero Parents: The Top 10

Little Matilda Had Heath's Heart

Best of FameCrawler: Week of July 11th