Armchair Commentary

I Have Seen the Future (And It Looks Terrible): 10 Movie Dystopias Before "In Time"

Director Andrew Niccol's In Time, which opened on October 28, envisions a future in which the world's population has been genetically engineered to stop aging when they reach their 25th year. There is, of course, a catch: they are also "programmed" to die at age 26, but can stave off the inevitable by working for minutes to add to their lifespan. This combination of technological heaven and biological hell is the latest in a long line of dystopias on film, depicting worlds where the promise of a future filled with wonder has been replaced by despair, disarray and the human race teetering on the brink of demise. 

Following are ten more memorable visions, listed in chronological order, of the future gone wrong on film. It is by no means a comprehensive list, but merely a representative sampling of the subgenre.

Metropolis (1927) Director Fritz Lang's seminal science fiction film examines the schism between the working class and the managerial elite in this blend of Expressionism and Marxism that also includes one of the screen's first robots, a sleek, metallic automaton used to sow dissent among the rebelling workers. 

Alphaville (1965) Jean-Luc Godard's surreal adventure sends secret agent Lemmy Caution (Eddie Constantine) to the title city, an Orwellian technocratic dictatorship overseen by the super-computer Alpha 60, which has forbidden emotion in favor of mindless obedience.

Rock-Em Sock-Em: 10 Tough Movie Robots Before "Real Steel"

Sure, robots in the movies can be helpful, like C-3P0 or Robby the Robot, or coldly malevolent, like the Daleks. But can they take a punch? That question is answered in Real Steel, a science fiction-action hybrid opening October 7 with Hugh Jackman as a washed-up pug turned promoter of a robot boxer. Based on Richard Matheson's short story "Steel" (which which was previously adapted for the fifth season of The Twilight Zone in 1963),Real Steel reminds us that several memorable movie robots have brought the brawn along with the binary code in prior years.

For the purposes of this list, we're expanding the defintion of the word "robot" to include androids (machines designed to resemble humans) and cyborgs (robots with both biological and mechanical elements). We're also limiting our list to cinematic robots, so you won't find Cylons, Cybermen or the Six Million Dollar Man here (that's another list altogether).

In chronological order:

- Gort, The Day The Earth Stood Still (1951) Actor Lock Martin, who stood at 7' 1" (though other sources say 7'7") left his job as the doorman at Grauman's Chinese Theater to play the 8-foot mechanical enforcer for alien visitor Klaatu (Michael Rennie) in Robert Wise's science fiction classic. When a trigger-happy GI accidentally wings Klaatu during his impromptu visit to Washington, D.C., Gort impassionately disintegrates the military's might, and nearly comes close to wiping out humanity as a whole until Patricia Neal utters the enduring phrase "Klaatu barada nikto." 

Fall Television 2011: New Shows

Ah, fall! Along with your crisp, cool days and the craving for warm apple cider, you bring about television's newest offerings. The networks seem to have recurring (or is that repetitious?) themes this year. Magic abounds, as do fairy tales and other monstrous creatures. And, since the 60s worked so well for AMC's Mad Men, we should have known the era would be ripe for the picking. The following list--in no particular order--are a few of the new series we're looking forward to this year. **Warning, spoilers ahead**

 

Ringer, Aired September 13, The CW

The premise: Sarah Michelle Gellar returns to television, in not one role, but two, playing twin sisters--Bridget, witness to a crime and on the run from the FBI; and Siobhan, trapped in a high society life and loveless marriage. The pilot episode threw a lot at us (affairs, a faked suicide, attempted murders, impersonation), and might have been better served over two hours. But we admit we're hooked already.

Why we're watching: Umm, SMG is back on television! And for all of the other above reasons. For all that the pilot was busy, we can't wait to see where this winding neo-noir road leads us. Also starring Ioan Gruffudd as Siobhan's husband, Kristoffer Pulka as Siobhan's lover, and Nestor Carbonella (and his too-good-to-be-true eyelashes) as an FBI agent searching for Bridget, all good reasons to tune in.

 

Death Valley, Aired August 29 on MTV

The premise: Not for the feint of heart or stomach, MTV's original series is in your face gore and snark … and is incredibly fun. Told Cops-style, this mockumentary follows the UTF precinct officers (Tania Raymonde, Texas Battle, et al.) under Captain Dashell (Bryan Callen) as they take on the vampires, zombies, and werewolves that inexplicably appeared in the valley. While it started a few weeks ago, you can get caught up online.

Why we're watching: Irreverent adult humor that turns the supernatural trend on its sparkling head. 

 

Person of Interest, Aired September 22 on CBS

The premise: After September 11, 2001, eccentric billionaire (is there any other kind?), Finch (Michael Emerson of Lost fame) created a pattern-recognition system that collects information--through computers, cell phones, and cameras on the street--to predict who will become involved in violent crimes. Some years later, he teams up with Reece (Jim Caviezel), a presumed-dead CIA agent, to help him stop those crimes. While it doesn't sound like these two initially trust each other: Reece pokes into Finch's past and Finch doesn't really trust anyone. Complicating matters is Detective Carter (Taraji P. Henson), who starts tracking Reece.

Why we're watching: Complicated premise? Perhaps. Hopefully this show will find the gray line separating protection vs. spying vs. paranoia … then stomp all over it and make us think. Besides, we'll watch anything with Michael Emerson.

 

2 Broke Girls, Aired September 19 on CBS

The premise: A(nother) modern take on The Odd Couple, this time featuring snarky street smart waitress Max (Kat Dennings) and bankrupt ex-heiress Caroline (Beth Behrs), who works with Max. These two opposites not only decide to live together, but to start a business together.

Why we're watching: In less capable hands, we might be dubious, but exec producer Michael Patrick King worked on Sex and the City, and we've heard that was a success! Also, Kat Dennings (usually) walks that delightfully fine line between sass and being obnoxious very skillfully, so count us in.

 

Terra Nova, Aired September 26 on Fox

The premise: Executive produced by Steven Spielberg, this is one of the most ambitious series we've seen in a while. Terra Nova takes us 138 years into a bleak future, where humans have all but ruined Earth. The discovery of a rift in time prompts a new generation of “pilgrims” to go back in time to a prehistoric, Cretaceous-period Earth so they can start fresh. The Shannon family (including Jason O'Mara and Shelley Conn) take the plunge, so to speak, and come under the leadership of Commander Nathaniel Taylor (Avatar baddie Stephen Lang). As the Shannons learn to survive on this new--but old to them--world, they come under the attack of a rogue group of residents called the Sixers, for reasons unknown; deal with the Commander's cagey tactics; and, oh yeah, there's dinosaurs.

Why we're watching: The series is exec produced by Spielberg, and the man knows his way around dinosaurs. Think what you will about Avatar, Stephen Lang was ridiculously over-the-top entertaining, and his role here has a similar feel. And then there's those dinosaurs …

 

The Secret Circle, Aired September 15 on The CW

The premise: Newly orphaned 16-year-old Cassie (Britt Robertson) is sent to live with her grandmother in the town her mother grew up in, but never talked about. Cassie is approached--and tested--by five of her new classmates (including Thomas Dekker as Adam) who break the news to her: she's a witch, as were all of their parents until something tragic and unspoken happened. Cassie's arrival completes the circle of magic they formed, upping their powers to dangerous and hard to control levels. Keeping things from getting too new agey, two of the parents (Natasha Henstridge and Gale Harold) seem to have a bloody agenda … one that involved killing Cassie's mother, perhaps to lure/force her back?

Why we're watching: Magic seems to be the new vampire, but we're okay with that--for now. Britt Robertson was a delight to watch in Life UnExpected, as was Thomas Dekker in the still missed Sarah Connor Chronicles.

 

Prime Suspect, Aired September 22 on NBC

The premise: A remake of the British Hellen Mirren staple, Jane Timoney (Maria Bello), is a tough, no-nonsense NYC homicide detective (as so many female cops on television seem to be), who will deal with hostility from both the perps she arrests and her fellow officers. Unlike the UK version, which used an entire mini-series for the case, each murder will be solved within an episode.

Why we're watching: This adaptation is executive produced by Alexandra Cunningham, who worked on the original, as well as NYPD Blue. Though it will probably follow the typical procedural formula we're used to, there's comfort in that style and it's worked for many a cop show. Then there's that news-making hat …

 

Revenge, Aired September 21 on ABC

The premise: Emily Thorne (Emily VanCamp) tells it straight: she's come home not to dispense forgiveness, but to exact revenge against those who destroyed her family. Her new neighbors have no idea who Emily is, as she skillfully blends into the community, makes new friends, and sets her plan into motion.

Why we're watching: Every season needs at least one guilty pleasure show, and we're hoping this will be worthy of our time. While the Klingons may prefer their revenge served up cold, there's nothing like a warm summer in the Hamptons to really heat things up!

 

Grimm, October 21 on NBC/ Once Upon A Time, October 23 on ABC

The premise(s): Taking the fairy tale trail, you have two options (or both, we won't make you chose!). Grimm seems to be the darker of the two, following Detective Nick Burkhardt (David Giuntoli) who discovers he's descended from a line of criminal profilers--called Grimms--tasked with keeping the world's mythological creatures in line.

Once Upon A Time looks to be a beautiful mystery set in the (subtly) named town of Storybrooke, Maine. A group of fairy tale characters are trapped in the town and have been cursed to forget their true origins, including Snow White (Ginnifer Goodwin), her--possibly--long-lost daughter, Emma (Jennifer Morrison), and, of course, Prince Charming (Josh Dallas). We'll also be treated to flashbacks showing the characters' former lives in Fairy Tale Land.

Why we're watching (both): Though viewers may tune into Grimm, which airs a couple days earlier, and not give Once Upon A Time a chance, we think the two shows will be different enough that you can enjoy both and not feel like you're getting a second helping of the same entreé. Here's wishing upon a star …

Pan Am, Aired September 25 on ABC

The premise: Based on a woman's actual experiences (executive producer Nancy Hult Ganis), many of the larger storylines are at least modeled after real events, including the stealth rescue mission to Cuba and the assassination of JFK. Follow Laura (Margot Robbie) as she runs out on her wedding and takes to the skies with her sister, Kate (Kelli Garner), a Pan Am stewardess. Joining the sisters are they travel around the world are fellow stewardesses Maggie (Christina Ricci) and French-born Colette (Karine Vanasse), and pilot Dean (Mike Vogel).

Why we're watching: Set in the heyday of airline travel, flying has never looked so good. But we don't think this show will be all pie in the sky. It doesn't sound like the writers are going to back away from the tumultuous political climate of the early-to-mid 60s.

 

Which new shows are you watching? --Jill Corddry

Forget Everything You Have Seen: Alejandro Jodorowsky Talks "El Topo" and "Holy Mountain" on Blu-ray

In 1970, world cinema was turned on its head by Chilean filmmaker Alejandro Jodorowsky's surrealistic Western El Topo. A violent fable about an unbeatable gunfighter (played by Jodorowsky) who loses his humanity to gain enlightenment, El Topo drew inspiration from a dizzying array of sources, including Zen Buddhist tracts, Antonin Artaud's "Theater of Cruelty," the films of Jean Cocteau and Sergio Leone and the art of Salvador Dali. Its head-spinning melange of arthouse and grindhouse tropes made it a sensation among the cognoscenti of the counterculture (most notably, John Lennon and Yoko Ono) and helped to kick off the "midnight movies" scene of the early '70s. Jodorowsky would follow El Topo with The Holy Mountain (1973), a equally dense-layered fantasy about a mystic (Jodorowsky again) who leads the six "most powerful people" on Earth to the title location, where they hope to unlock the secrets of the immortals.

Though Jodorowsky made several films after this powerhouse duo, including 1990's Santa Sangre, none would capture the imagination of the movie-going public like El Topo and Holy Mountain. Unfortunately, few could see the films following their initial theatrical runs; rights issues kept them in limbo for decades until they were released by ABKCO and Anchor Bay on DVD in 2007. On April 26, both entities will present Blu-ray editions of El Topo and Holy Mountain. To commemorate the occasion, Amchair Commentary spoke with Alejandro Jodorowsky via phone at his home in Paris, where he imparted his unique, decidedly frank (and possibly NSFW) views on his masterworks, the Blu-ray releases and his much-discussed future projects.

QUESTION: I want to read you a quote that you gave during the original theatrical release of El Topo. You said, "If you're great, El Topo is a great film. If you're limited, El Topo is limited." Do you still agree with this assessment?

First Trailer: "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2"

It feels like we've been blogging about Harry Potter movie trailers forever, but it's just occurred to me that this the LAST first trailer of a Harry Potter movie we are ever going to talk about. (And this is the only one in 3D.) This is the one everything has been building up to, and we can't believe it's almost over. --Ellen

 

 

Once Upon a Twisted Fairy Tales

Retelling classic fairy tales is nothing new in literature or at the cinema. Sometimes it's a modern twist, other times the tale shows the story from another character's perspective. However the story is mixed-and-matched, the recent release of Beastly -- a modern update of Beauty and the Beast -- and Red Riding Hood, plus the announcement of a new Snow White starring Julia Roberts, Kristen Stewart, and Charlize Theron, prove these twisted tales are all the rage. Here are a few of our favorite new takes on old stories, but beware, these fairy tales aren't for the kids! Warning: spoilers ahead.

 

Snow White – A Tale of Terror (1997)

Based on: Snow White and the Seven Dwarves

The tale: Lady Claudia, an evil stepmother (as they often seem to be in fairy tales) tries to have her stepdaughter, Lilli, killed. But the attempt fails when Lilli escapes, hiding in the woods. She's found, and grudgingly given refuge, by seven outcast miners. Using her mother's mirror, Lady Claudia (Sigourney Weaver, who earned an Emmy Award® nomination for her role), discovers Lilli is still alive, and, much like the familiar tale, she disguises herself as an ugly old woman and delivers that fateful, deadly apple to Lilli. Though Lilli succumbs to the poison apple, she is saved and ultimately confronts her stepmother, finally destroying the magic mirror with a knife.

How it's twisted: The title says it all. Perhaps even darker than the original Grimm brothers' tale, this gothic interpretation replaces the dwarves with the miners, who do not exactly welcome Lilli into their home. But it seems the character of Lady Claudia truly imbues the darkest nature of this adaptation. She takes evil to elevated levels, going so far as to seduce Lilli's fiancé, attempts the resurrection of her stillborn son, and scares her brother -- the man responsible for Lilli's attempted murder -- into committing suicide, and that's just what we can list here!

 

Beauty and the Beast (1946)

Based on: Beauty and the Beast

The tale: Widely considered one of the finest fantasy films, even today, the French La Belle et la Bête tells the story most of us are familiar with: Belle offers to take her father's place as the Beast's prisoner after he takes a rose from the Beast's garden. Over time, Belle comes to look past the Beast's -- who is actually a cursed, handsome prince -- outwardly grotesque appearance, and sees him for the man behind the monster.

How it's twisted: Unlike some adaptations, this stunning black and white film actually stays very close to the original fairy tale by Leprince de Beaumont. However, director Jean Cocteau focused on the more adult, emotional aspects of the relationship between Belle and her princely Beast, envisioning a dark, though dreamy and romantic, environment. 

 

Freeway (1996)

Based on: Little Red Riding Hood

The tale: Vanessa (Reese Witherspoon), an illiterate teenager sets off to her grandmother's house … after her mother is arrested for prostitution. Before leaving, she stops to see her boyfriend, who gives her a gun to sell once she gets to her final destination. When her car breaks down along the highway, Bob Wolverton (Kiefer Sutherland) stops and offers to take her to her grandmother's house. Unknown to Vanessa, Bob is a serial killer. until he confesses and attacks her. She shoots him, and finds herself arrested, the police unconvinced of her story. She escapes from prison during transfer and finally makes her way to her grandmother's house, only to discover Bob has killed her grandmother.

How it's twisted: Though it may seem like it on the surface, this isn't a film that sets out purely to titillate. The original “Little Red Riding Hood” was a tale of warning to adolescent girls, and, while the themes of sex and violence are taken to amped up levels in this modern retelling, in many ways, it offers up the same warnings.

 

Into the Woods (1991)

Based on: Pretty much all of them

The tale: A group of characters venture into the woods, each seeking something they believe will improve their lives: Cinderella wants to go to the ball, but is prevented by her evil stepmother and stepsisters; Jack seeks to find a better life after his friend Milky-White the cow is sold by his wealth-hungry mother; the baker and his wife long for a child, but the witch next door claims she's cursed them, something that can only be broken with a potion made from “the cow as white as milk, the cape as red as blood, the hair as yellow as corn, the slipper as pure as gold.”

How it's twisted: With a veritable who's who fairy tale names comprising the characters of this story, no one and nothing is sacred. Based on Steven Sondheim's Tony Award® winning lyrics and score, and played by much of the original Broadway cast, this imagined world has Cinderella, Rapunzel, Little Red Riding Hood, Jack, and many more living side-by-side as neighbors. Witty dialogue and comedic displays counterbalance the dark undertones of the characters' search for that which each desires. While each ultimately gets what they wish for, the tale doesn't end with the traditionally expected happily ever after.

 

Alice (2009)

Based on: Alice in Wonderland

The story: Set almost 150 years after the original book, Alice (Catarina Scorsone), a woman in her 20s, finds herself literally in another world after her new boyfriend is kidnapped. She follows the van that snatched him off the street and falls through a looking glass. Captured with numerous other humans from her world, Alice manages to escape and ends up in the company of Hatter, a man who knows his way through the underworld of Wonderland. As she tries to get back home, Alice and Hatter seek to set things right, and manage to topple to towers of cards and casinos and free the humans who'd been abducted.

How it's twisted: Time has also passed in Wonderland, and not kindly. The previously skewed world of mad tea parties and off-with-your-head croquette games has morphed into a near-dystopian land of playing card-buildings and casinos, all under the cruel rule of a heartless monarch. Though many familiar characters are present -- The Queen of Hearts (Kathy Bates), The Mad Hatter -- The White Rabbit is now a secret organization that works for the queen, abducting humans and forcing them to play in the casinos so their emotions can be stolen and used as a drug. One familiar concept from the original remains: Alice in a blue dress.

 

Tin Man (2007)

Based on: The Wizard of Oz

The tale: Though initially this mini-series seems to be merely a modern retelling, with Oz similarly updated, it becomes clear that time has passed in both worlds, and DG (Zooey Deschanel) is more than just a waitress tired of her Kansas life. Actually placed on Earth to hide, and placed in the foster care of two androids playing the part of her guardians. When the ruler of Oz finds DG and sends her soldiers through a tornado to kill her, DG escapes through the storm and finds herself in Oz. When DG learns that she was once a citizen of Oz, she sets out to learn what she can about herself and her family.

How it's twisted: How do you count the ways? Aside from some similar names, very little in this tale lines up with the original story by Frank L. Baum. But that doesn't make it any less enjoyable as it reveals its own path along the -- now crumbling -- yellow brick road. Oz is O.Z., the Outer Zone, a near police-state ruled by the sorceress Azkadellia. Wyatt Cain (Neil McDonough) is a Tin Man, a law enforcement officer, encased in a tin suit for disobeying Azkadellia. He and DG join forces with Glitch (Alan Cumming), a man who's had half of his brain removed, and Raw, a “viewer” (similar to a psychic) who's people have been enslaved by Azkadellia. The final kicker is learning that DG is not Dorothy Gale, per se, but the many-great granddaughter of the “Gray Gale,” the original Dorothy of Baum's books, and the first person to “slip” between the worlds.

 

The Company of Wolves (1985) 

Based on: Little Red Riding Hood

The tale: Taking a more gothic flourish -- with a dash of horror -- to the classic story of a little girl lost in the woods. Rosaleen, a young woman entering puberty, goes to bed and dreams her sister is killed by wolves. While her parents mourn, she is sent to live with her grandmother (Angela Lansbury), who knits a red cape for her granddaughter and tells her tales steeped with morals and warnings. Years later, Roseleen returns home and finds herself dealing with the advances of an amorous local boy. As per the tale, Rosaleen goes to visit her grandmother, complete with a basket of baked goods, and encounters an attractive huntsman along the way. But he's more than he appears.

How it's twisted: This tale unfolds within Rosaleen's dreams, yes, but it's more than just fairy tales taking place in a young girl's mind. The wolves are werewolves, as is the huntsman who challenges her in the woods of her dreams. Like the original version of Little Red Riding Hood, the Big Bad Wolf kills the grandmother and Little Red (Rosaleen) fights back, wounding the wolf/huntsman. He reverts to wolf form, injured but not dead. And Rosaleen, feeling pity for him, pets him tenderly. Rosaleen herself becomes a wolf and, to escape the other villagers. Much like the original Little Red Riding Hood, this is a tale steeped with awakening sexuality, but ending with both male and female characters in wolf form.

 

Faerie Tale Theatre (1982 - 1987)

Based on: Pretty much all of them

The tale: A series of classic fairy and folk tales hosted by Shelley Duvall and acted by an enviable cast of Hollywood elite (Robin Williams, Liza Minnelli, Matthew Broderick, Mick Jagger, Eric Idle, and Susan Sarandon, just to name a few) take on 26 beloved stories.

How it's twisted: Perhaps lighter fare compared to some of the other adaptations listed above, this series is no less enjoyable, if nothing else for the cast of characters who joined Shelley Duvall.   

 

The following movies may not be adaptations of existing fairy tales, but they embrace the true spirit of storytelling, and we just couldn't leave them off the list.

The Fall

MirrorMask

Pan's Labyrinth

The Princess Bride

 

 

These are our twisted fairy tale favorites … what are your yours? --Jill Corddry

 

Not with a Bang, But a Whimper: "Vanishing on 7th Street" and Other Quiet Apocalypses

When it comes to depictions of the end of the world on films and in television, audiences seem to like their apocalypse scaled at an epic size. Films like Armageddon, 2012 and The Day After Tomorrow have presented our final days as special effects spectaculars that can be appreciated for their feats of technical skill as much as for the fear they produce. But a handful of movies have presented an extinction event as a much quieter affair, with life as we know it ending, as T.S. Eliot said in "The Wasteland," not with a bang, but a whimper.

Brad Anderson's Vanishing on 7th Street, which opens on February 18, presents such a scenario, with most of the world's population simply disappearing during a global blackout, leaving a handful of survivors in Detroit to cope as daylight begins to fade into permanent night. Following are a host of similarly quiet apocalypse films, ranging in tone from the sublime to the ridiculous.

Five (1951) One of the earliest, if not the first film to depict life after a nuclear holocaust, this heavy-handed but watchable drama by radio pioneer Arch Oboler (Lights Out) charges a quintet of survivors to rebuild society while sorting out their ideological differences. The futuristic house where much of the film's action takes place was a Frank Lloyd Wright creation owned by Oboler.

The World, The Flesh and the Devil (1959) Harry Belafonte stars as a mine inspector who escapes a cave-in, only to discover that humanity has been wiped out by atomic poisons. He finds two other survivors, Inger Stevens and Mel Ferrer, in an eerily vacant New York City; romantic and racial tensions are soon ignited between the two men, who must learn to overcome old beliefs in order to survive in their new world.

Extraordinary Teens Before "Number Four"

When it comes to depicting the emotional and physical upheaval that is becoming a teenager, the movies have usually relied on dramas and comedies to tell that story. But aren't the fantasy, science fiction and horror genres equally well equipped to show the trials and tribulations of teenage-dom? After all, don't the intense physical and chemical changes that run riot through teens' bodies sound like nothing less than a science experiment gone completely amuck? Comic book fantasies like Superman, Spider-Man and Smallville have all equated the growth from adolescent to teen with new-minted superheroes discovering and learning to control their powers, and scores of sci-fi and horror films have revolved around teens with unearthly abilities.

The latest in this list is I Am Number Four, starring Alex Pettyfer as one of nine alien children on the run from extraterrestrial hunters. It joins a long list of films about extraordinary youngsters, some of which we've listed here for your perusal.

(Please note: you'll note the absence of such notable films as Children of the Damned, The Last Mimzy and the Harry Potter franchise. For the purposes of this list, we're focusing on films about teens only.)

The Tomorrow People (1973) Well-loved British TV series about a group of children who develop a vast array of psionic abilities as they blossom into teens; their arrival represents the next stage of human evolution - the "homo superior," which David Bowie later referenced in his song "Oh! You Pretty Things."  

Carrie (1976) Sissy Spacek's sheltered high schooler dispatches her tormentors (including John Travolta and Nancy Allen) through devastating acts of telekinesis in Brian De Palma's still-terrifying adaptation of Stephen King's early novel. De Palma revisited the idea of young people with powerful psychic abilities in The Fury (1978). 

"Green Hornet" and the Other Unlikely Superheroes

The release of The Green Hornet, Michel Gondry's revisionist take on the venerable radio and TV crimefighter, with Seth Rogen as a loutish trustfunder forced to take up arms against Christoph Waltz's villany, reminds us that for every traditional superhero - arms of steel, unwavering sense of duty, snazzy outfit - there are a few who don't quite fit the bill. Following are 10 of the more offbeat torch-bearers for truth, justice and liberty from films and television.

Kick-Ass (2010) Based on the graphic novel by Mark Millar and John Romita, Jr., this decidedly grown-up superhero pic follows Aaron Johnson's ordinary teen, whose complete lack of super abilities proves no deterrent in pursuing a career in smashing evil. Though Kick-Ass' blind bravado (and eventual tolerance for pain, developed through multiple severe injuries) make for a fascinatingly cracked character, it's Chloe Grace-Moretz's foul-mouthed, high-kicking Hit Girl who walks away with the film. 

Defendor (2010) Mental illness is the spark that sends Woody Harrelson's loner onto the streets of Toronto to fight corrupt cop Elias Koteas, whom he believes is an agent of his nemesis, the imaginary Captain Industry. 2006's Special, with Michael Rapaport as a a man who comes to believe he's a superhero after ingesting an experimental anti-depressant, follows a similar path.

The Specials (2000) A broad poke at the inherent brotherhood of superteams like The X-Men and The Avengers, The Specials are a second-string collection of misfits whose powers are only mildly impressive (or useful): Rob Lowe's Weevil has the strength and agility of that lowly insect, while Thomas Haden Church's Strobe is undone by his colossal ego and Jim Zulevic's Mr. Smart is preoccupied with making inventions with no practical applications.

Pootie Tang (2001) A deliriously childish parody of the superhuman heroes of '70s black action films, Pootie Tang stars Lance Crouther as the title character, an incomprehensible but impossibly accomplished entertainer-cum-badass who defeats evil via his daddy's belt. Producer and star Chris Rock and writer/director Louis C.K. spent years apologizing for the film, but it has its supporters.

Mystery Men (1999) Based loosely on Bob Burden's Flaming Carrot Comics, this all-star comedy failed to find an audience, but in recent years, its gaggle of underdog heroes, including Ben Stiller's slow-boiling Mr. Furious, William H. Macy's Shoveler, and Paul Reubens' flatulent Spleen, have developed a cult following. In its best moments, it shows genuine wit as well as affection for its misfits, especially Hank Azaria's hapless Blue Raja, who can accurately hurl silverware (except knives). 

Big Man Japan (2007) Hallucinatory parody of Japanese tokusatsu with director Hitoshi Matsumoto as the latest in a line of guardians who can grow to giant size when Japan comes under attack by giant monsters. The problem: he hates his job, which is complicated by an aggressive agent, a dismissive population and truly ridiculous foes. If Ultraman was played by Paul Giamatti, he might be something like Big Man Japan.

The Greatest American Hero (1981) William Katt starred in this cult action-comedy series from Stephen J. Cannell as a schoolteacher who, after being given a suit with extraordinary powers by aliens, learns through trial and error (mostly the latter) how to be a superhero. The show's tongue-in-cheek tone, supplied mostly by the late Robert Culp as Katt's gonzo advisor, did much to elevate it beyond slapstick.

Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog (2008) The good guys don't have the monopoly on questionable candidates, as evidenced by Joss Whedon's winning comedy-musical about an aspiring villain (Neil Patrick Harris) whose attempts to join a evil coalition of heels are thwarted by his feelings for the kindly Penny (Felicia Day). Funded entirely by Whedon, the trio of Internet shorts has achieved cult status.

Zebraman (2004) Director Takashi Miike puts his unique stamp on the cape-and-tights genre with this bittersweet fantasy about a failed teacher (Show Aikawa) who finds solace from his miserable life by dressing like his TV hero, Zebraman. When an alien invasion erupts near his school, Aikawa discovers that he can summon Zebraman's powers to fight the menace and give some meaning to his existence. A typically action-packed effort from the prolific Miike (Audition, Ichi The Killer), Zebraman also addresses the power of belief in surprisingly thoughtful terms.

Super (2011) James Gunn, who wrote and co-starred in The Specials (in addition to penning the 2004 Dawn of the Dead, Scooby-Doo and Slither), directed this violent dark comedy about a frustrated husband (Rainn Wilson) who becomes The Crimson Bolt, a pipewrench-wielding vigilante, when his wife (Liv Tyler) takes up with his drug-dealing boss (Kevin Bacon). Gunn's wry script takes the air out of the costumed avenger genre by depicting the reality of solving problems by bashing them with a massive wrench in hilariously gruesome detail; Wilson's sharp comic turn is well matched by Ellen Page as his psychotic sidekick, Boltie. -- Paul Gaita

The Play's The Thing: "The Tempest" and Other Eclectic Screen Shakespeare

As you read this post, there are most likely dozens, if not hundreds of professional and amateur productions of plays by William Shakespeare taking place across the world. Add to that number film and television adaptations of his work, as well as musicals, operas, ballets, animated and multimedia projects, and you have a veritable tidal wave of the Bard crashing upon the global cultural shores. While many of these mountings adhere strictly to the story and presentation on the page, the universal themes of his work -- the corrupting influence of power, the joys and folly of love -- have allowed directors to take the plays out of the Elizabethan era and graft them to times, places and cultures as diverse as feudal Japan, Southern California high schools, the Wild West, and even outer space. Similarly, Shakespeare's heroes, villains and fools have been recast as motorcycle club members, Midwestern hustlers, British jazz musicians, gangsters, brewery owners and even lions. 

The latest Shakespeare play to make it to the big screen is Julie Taymor's The Tempest (pictured) which takes its own eclectic route by offering not only a gender reversal on its lead, the wizard Prospero, who is played by Oscar winner Helen Mirren, but also offbeat casting in the form of comedian Russell Brand as the jester Trinculo and Djimon Hounsou as the "monstrous" Caliban, the wizard's former slave. Taymor's choices echo a near-century's worth of fascinating and unusual cinematic takes on Shakespeare. Following is a by-no-means complete listing of alternative Shakespeare, listed by the original work.