http://www.foxnews.com/st
ory/0,2933,512139,00.html


Yes, Ive seen "X Men Origins: Wolverine." It wasnt at a screening, either. I found a work in progress print of it, 95 percent completed, on the internet last night. Lets hope by now its gone.

But the cat is out of the bag, as they say, and the genie is out of the bottle. Theres no turning back. But no, I will not tell you the big twist/surprise toward the end. Not now, a whole month away from release. That wouldnt be nice.

Right now, my "cousins" at 20th Century Fox are probably having apoplexy. I doubt anyone else has seen this film. But everyone can relax. I am, in fact, amazed about how great "Wolverine" turned out. It exceeds expectations at every turn. I was completely riveted to my desk chair in front of my computer.

I dont know what the really big headline is here: the fact that "Wolverine" is so good, or that I also found the current top 10 movies in theaters, as well as a turgid domestic drama called "Fireflies in the Garden" with Ryan Reynolds and Julia Roberts  the latter in a minor role while her husband, Danny Moder, is credited as director of photography.

I did find the whole top 10, plus TV shows, commercials, videos, everything, all streaming away. It took really less than seconds to start playing it all right onto my computer. I could have downloaded all of it but really, who has the time or the room? Later tonight I may finally catch up with Paul Rudd in "I Love You, Man." Its so much easier than going out in the rain!

But back to "Wolverine": this is the prequel to the first "X Men" movie. Directed by Gavin Hood, the film is as cutting edge as it is old fashioned. This may be the big blockbuster film of 2009, and one we really need right now. Its miles easier to understand than "The Dark Knight," and tremendously more emotional. Hood simply did an excellent job bringing Wolverines early life to the screen.

Hugh Jackman is Wolverine, of course, and he is more a movie star in this movie than ever before. It doesnt hurt that hes spent every waking minute in the gym. Hood doesnt hide that. Jackman fans will get their fill of their hero. Hes joined by a phenomenal cast, too  Liev Schreiber as his evil but equally clawed brother, Victor, aka Sabretooth; Ryan Reynolds (he gets a lot of work, thats for sure) as Deadpool; Dominic Monagan as Beak; Kevin Durand as the Blob; and the sensational sort of Han Solo-ish Taylor Kitsch as Gambit. Theres also sultry Lynn Collins as Wolverines love interest, and Danny Huston as the villainous Colonel Stryker.

I do think the film works so beautifully because the screenplay is so streamlined. David Benioff (whose real name, I read, is David Friedman  hes married to Amanda Peet) carefully delineated these characters and did a smashing job. I had less trouble following this story than the one in "Fireflies in the Garden." Hes made "Wolverine" just the right kind of summer entertainment  a thrill ride with lots of emotional investment and a hero simply bigger than life. Thats all you can ask for.

Now, I did see "Wolverine" on a large, wide computer screen, and not in a movie theater, but it could not have played better. Still, this was a workprint and there were about a dozen things not finished. A couple of times it was possible to see the harnesses on the actors. It didnt take away from the film at all. But obviously someone who had access to a print uploaded the film onto this website. This begs several questions about security. Time to round up the usual suspects!

Lord Sesuken said:

This is pathetic.

matacron said:

Well, I avoided seeing "Chun Li" and "Dragonball" because of the horrible reviews that they were getting, but something tells me that I'm still going to wind up shelling out my cash for this one. I DO want to see it, even though I'm being told it's bad.

It couldn't be as bad as "Hulk," or "Spider-Man 3," could it?

matacron said:

Well, I avoided seeing "Chun Li" and "Dragonball" because of the horrible reviews that they were getting, but something tells me that I'm still going to wind up shelling out my cash for this one. I DO want to see it, even though I'm being told it's bad.

It couldn't be as bad as "Hulk," or "Spider-Man 3," could it?

The_Star_Treker said:

matacron said:

Well, I avoided seeing "Chun Li" and "Dragonball" because of the horrible reviews that they were getting, but something tells me that I'm still going to wind up shelling out my cash for this one. I DO want to see it, even though I'm being told it's bad.

It couldn't be as bad as "Hulk," or "Spider-Man 3," could it?

I'm totally with you on this one.

The NEW Harry Pothead said:

The_Star_Treker said:

matacron said:

Well, I avoided seeing "Chun Li" and "Dragonball" because of the horrible reviews that they were getting, but something tells me that I'm still going to wind up shelling out my cash for this one. I DO want to see it, even though I'm being told it's bad.

It couldn't be as bad as "Hulk," or "Spider-Man 3," could it?

I'm totally with you on this one.

Well hey, the apologist agrees so you've got some support there!

And yes, it's worse than Spiderman 3.

matacron said:

Well, I avoided seeing "Chun Li" and "Dragonball" because of the horrible reviews that they were getting, but something tells me that I'm still going to wind up shelling out my cash for this one. I DO want to see it, even though I'm being told it's bad.

It couldn't be as bad as "Hulk," or "Spider-Man 3," could it?

Xenos said:

matacron said:

Well, I avoided seeing "Chun Li" and "Dragonball" because of the horrible reviews that they were getting, but something tells me that I'm still going to wind up shelling out my cash for this one. I DO want to see it, even though I'm being told it's bad.

It couldn't be as bad as "Hulk," or "Spider-Man 3," could it?

Dragonball hasn't come out yet I think it will be better than most think but then at the same time won't be has good as others like Kim hope. Not telling you to see it just saying. And who gives a crap what pepole in Japan thought of it.

Xenos said:

matacron said:

Well, I avoided seeing "Chun Li" and "Dragonball" because of the horrible reviews that they were getting, but something tells me that I'm still going to wind up shelling out my cash for this one. I DO want to see it, even though I'm being told it's bad.

It couldn't be as bad as "Hulk," or "Spider-Man 3," could it?

Dragonball hasn't come out yet I think it will be better than most think but then at the same time won't be has good as others like Kim hope. Not telling you to see it just saying. And who gives a crap what pepole in Japan thought of it.

infamous_emijayne said:

Xenos said:

matacron said:

Well, I avoided seeing "Chun Li" and "Dragonball" because of the horrible reviews that they were getting, but something tells me that I'm still going to wind up shelling out my cash for this one. I DO want to see it, even though I'm being told it's bad.

It couldn't be as bad as "Hulk," or "Spider-Man 3," could it?

Dragonball hasn't come out yet I think it will be better than most think but then at the same time won't be has good as others like Kim hope. Not telling you to see it just saying. And who gives a crap what pepole in Japan thought of it.

DragonBall has been on the internet for 3 weeks now. It was THE worst film I've seen in at least a decade. And that has nothing to do with the comparison between the film and the manga. The movie was just plain crap. Poor writing, porr directing, poor acting, poor editing, poor effects, poor fight choreography, poor character development....It made Uwe Boll look like an oscar winning director.

matacron said:

Well, I avoided seeing "Chun Li" and "Dragonball" because of the horrible reviews that they were getting, but something tells me that I'm still going to wind up shelling out my cash for this one. I DO want to see it, even though I'm being told it's bad.

It couldn't be as bad as "Hulk," or "Spider-Man 3," could it?

infamous_emijayne said:

Xenos said:

matacron said:

Well, I avoided seeing "Chun Li" and "Dragonball" because of the horrible reviews that they were getting, but something tells me that I'm still going to wind up shelling out my cash for this one. I DO want to see it, even though I'm being told it's bad.

It couldn't be as bad as "Hulk," or "Spider-Man 3," could it?

Dragonball hasn't come out yet I think it will be better than most think but then at the same time won't be has good as others like Kim hope. Not telling you to see it just saying. And who gives a crap what pepole in Japan thought of it.

DragonBall has been on the internet for 3 weeks now. It was THE worst film I've seen in at least a decade. And that has nothing to do with the comparison between the film and the manga. The movie was just plain crap. Poor writing, porr directing, poor acting, poor editing, poor effects, poor fight choreography, poor character development....It made Uwe Boll look like an oscar winning director.

matacron said:

Xenos said:

matacron said:

Well, I avoided seeing "Chun Li" and "Dragonball" because of the horrible reviews that they were getting, but something tells me that I'm still going to wind up shelling out my cash for this one. I DO want to see it, even though I'm being told it's bad.

It couldn't be as bad as "Hulk," or "Spider-Man 3," could it?

Dragonball hasn't come out yet I think it will be better than most think but then at the same time won't be has good as others like Kim hope. Not telling you to see it just saying. And who gives a crap what pepole in Japan thought of it.

lol

Well, I guess I just wound up looking like a dumbass.

I suppose I should revisit my statement to read "Given the negative attention it's received, I have no INTENTION of seeing Dragonball once it's out."

Either way, my opinion of it will remain the same (neutral), because I won't have seen it either way.

If "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" is somewhere between "Daredevil" and "Superman Returns," then I have a LITTLE more confidence in it, though not much.

"Superman Returns" was a piece of garbage, but "Daredevil" was at least passable, even though I didn't consider it a good enough film to add to my HOME collection, and it was certainly better than "Spider-Man 3."