I write an article at Movies.com called Film Face-off, where I take two things, and they battle it out. The things could be actors, movies, characters, just about anything. Give it some love, comments, tweets, Facebook affection. Film Face-off: 'Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan' vs. 'Star Trek Into Darkness'
Before J.J. Abrams got his blockbuster paws on theStar Trek franchise, there was no debate: Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan was the best of the series. Sure, some would say The Voyage Home was their favorite because it's funny, but that's a whale of a debate that we can't possibly get into today.
Abrams' Star Trek films are a different breed, and there are certain things that are just better. Action sequences barely exist in the original sequel, while the special effects have evolved with phasers and beaming looking better than ever. There's also the uniforms: what is with the odd flap on the chest that is sometimes up and sometimes down? What purpose does this serve beyond bad fashion? Is it a way to cool off on those days when the Enterprise air-conditioning doesn't work? Come on Trekkers, I need to know!
With all of the advantages in Abrams' version, I decided to stack the deck in this Film Face-off. The categories were set before I saw Star Trek Into Darkness, giving II the best chance possible to win since special effects and action sequences have come a long way since the early 1980s.
Set your phasers to fun (because we haven't heard that enough), and let's have a Film Face-off with Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan vs. Star Trek Into Darkness. There are major SPOILERS here. You have been warned.
Film Face-off: 'Superman: The Movie' vs. 'Man of Steel'
Faster than a speeding bullet... check. More powerful than a locomotive... check. Able to leap tall buildings in a single bound... check. OK, this Man of Steel film definitely is a Superman flick, but how does it compare to the 35-year-old film that most of us consider the first true superhero film, Superman: The Movie? That's the question that will be answered in this week's Film Face-off.
I was having a tough time deciding on five categories. After all, you won't find a Cameo category below, which means there is no place to mention John Ratzenberger (better known as Cliff Clavin) or Larry Hagman. I was even thinking of a Worst Moment category just to remind people that a woman hits her daughter after Superman saves a cat from a tree, or the line "Why is it I can't get it on with the good guys?" both exist in the 1978 Superman. Plus, some categories would be too easy for victories, like John Williams' musical score, even though Hans Zimmer gives it a pretty good try. I finally settled on five categories that get to the heart of Superman's origin story. It's time for the Film Face-off of Superman: The Movie vs. Man of Steel.
Film Face-off: 'The Wolverine' vs. 'X-Men Origins: Wolverine'
We love Logan, and clearly Hugh Jackman is the man to play the man-beast best known as Wolverine. After all, he has now donned the claws five times (plus a cameo), with his latest being in The Wolverine. The 44-year-old actor won't be stopping anytime soon, as he's set to be the centerpiece of X-Men: Days of Future Past coming in 2014. That film will also star Michael Fassbender, James McAvoy, Ian McKellen, Patrick Stewart and many more actors playing mutants.
Until then, we have The Wolverine, which is a stand-alone story focusing on Wolverine recovering from a lost love, and having to battle an old friend. Wait a minute, that sounds familiar. Hmmm, sounds like the perfect time for another Film Face-off with The Wolverine vs. X-Men Origins: Wolverine.