The Ballad of Rocket Raccoon

With so many fun and interesting characters in Marvel's newest film Guardians of the Galaxy, it's hard to choose a favorite.  For me, I love anything that makes me want to hug it despite its  potty mouth, so my choice for favorite is Rocket Raccoon.  A genetically and cybernetically enhanced raccoon in the film, Rocket is a wholly unique character.

Alfred Pennyworth Origins

Alfred Pennyworth is the kind of butler anybody would want.  He has little nuggets of wisdom to share, extensive medical training the dedication it requires to assist his employer in dispensing vigilante justice without batting (ZING!) an eye.

Catches Milk Just Like Flies - One Awesome Practical Effect from Spider-Man (2002)

Remember that scene is Sam Raimi's Spider-Man where Peter manages to catch all of MJ's lunch items after she slips on a puddle of orange Juice?  MJ, who is naturally impressed, manages a "nice reflexes" before awkwardly noticing that Peter has blue eyes and then leaving with a "well, see ya."
Here is the clip to refresh your memory:

What makes this scene even more amazing is the fact that absolutely no CGI was used in its making.  Tobey Maguire actually caught all those items on the tray (with the aid of a sticky substance) with no special effects whatsoever.  Since that's all I've got for today and I don't know how to end this post, here is a funny picture of Spider-Man:

The Voice of Madness

Mark Hamill was not the first choice for the voice of the Joker in Batman: The Animated Series.  As it turns out the original choice was Tim Curry.  After recording a few lines the producers of the show felt that
Tim Curry's take on the character was a little too scary, so Mark Hamill was called in to take his place.  It's funny because I just can't imagine Tim Curry portraying a clown that is too scary for children...

The Voice of the Night

If you haven't seen Batman: The Animated Series then what the heck are you doing here?  Amazon has a good chunk of the series available to stream on their "Prime" service.  Go there now and experience what is arguably the greatest comic-book-based cartoon series to ever grace the airwaves.  Sure the show was made for children, but it still managed to retain the dark and brooding atmosphere of the modern comics. Central to the show's amazing atmosphere were the voice actors.

How a Scrap of Newspaper Spawned the Modern Comic Book Movie

Gotham High's Cutest Couple 1989

Does the name Michael Uslan ring any bells for you?  If you are not a major film buff this name probably means nothing to you.  And yet this man is the reason comic book fans can finally see their childhood heroes on the big screen in serious, high quality films.  You see Uslan was the man who worked tirelessly for nearly a decade to bring the masses a serious depiction of Batman on the big screen.  The success of Batman paved the way for the serious, darker takes on comic book characters in movies, despite Joel Schumacher's best bat-nippled efforts.  More importantly, the film set the standard for telling engaging, character driven blockbusters.