The Shakespearean shindig will take place at the Harkins Camelview 5 Theater in Scottsdale at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, June 21, 2013. Your $25 admission includes viewing a pre-movie taped interview with Director Whedon “explaining the how and why he made this Shakespeare film,” the special premiere screening of the film, and an after film Q&A session with a “panel of experts.”

The emcee for the evening is Arizona Republic movie critic Bill Goodykoontz and fans are encouraged to come out in costume, dressed as your favorite Whedon character (Thor seems appropriate) for a costume contest with prizes. After the film there will be an after-party hosted by Calistro Bistro with appetizers and a cash bar.

For more information, visit the Southwest Shakespeare Company.

Superman #218 – July 1969

Cover art by Curt Swan

Superman #218 – July 1969

The new Man of Steel movie is supposed to be a more gritty and realistic look at the Superman mythos, as imagined by director Zack Snyder (Watchmen) and writers/producers David S. Goyer and Christopher Nolan (who also brought us the more grown-up film version of Batman.) But in July of 1969, with Superman #218, comic book writer Leo Dorfman took the big blue boyscout to a place that not even Nolan would dare go.

We know that Clark Kent/Superman has been positively influenced by his step-father, Jonathan Kent and his real Kryptonian father, Jor-El; and they are the ones who instilled his sense of responsibility and his ultra-heroic demeanor. So would Supes ever actually abandon his own son as depicted in our Father’s Day edition of Classic Comic Cover Corner?

You have to admit it would be awesome to see Superman break into a “Billie Jean” dance number (I hear he does a mean moon-walk), but nah, child abandonment is not something the Man of Steel would ever be down with; it’s all just a hoax concocted by Superman’s troublesome foe, the menacing Mister Mxyzptlk, in a story entitled, “Superman’s Secret Past!”

Here’s hoping all the heroic Dad’s out there have a Super Father’s Day!

My faith in director Zack Snyder (Watchmen and 300) and writers/producers David S. Goyer and Christopher Nolan (from the Batman/Dark Knight trilogy) has seriously waned. These Hollywood heavyweights, who once seemed to be incapable of doing any harm to their comic-book source material, may have finally “jumped the shark” with this latest not-so-super effort. (I was not thrilled with last summer’s The Dark Knight Rises either.)

It would be impossible to match the tone of the original Superman films (I & II) or to fill the shoes of Superman actor Christopher Reeve, so I don’t hold it against the Man of Steel filmmakers for not even trying; but they should have at least made an effort to capture the magic of the original movies, instead of the almost completely humorless and heartless product they’ve delivered.

The origin of the Man of Steel is mostly intact as baby Kal-El is rocketed to Earth by his Father Jor-El (Russell Crowe) from the late great planet Krypton, just before his home planet explodes and dies. On Earth, where our sun gives him enormous power, Kal-El is raised as Clark Kent by the humble and honest Kansas farmers, Jonathan (Kevin Costner) and Martha Kent (Diane Lane), who teach him red-blooded, Midwestern American values.

In this new version of the tale there is quite a bit more backstory regarding Jor-El, who it turns out is both a scientist and a very capable warrior (dare I say – a badass.) Krypton itself is also much more developed than we’ve seen on film before, with flying dragon-like creatures used for transportation (in addition to futuristic spaceships) that reminded me of Avatar.

Before the doomed planet of Krypton is destroyed, General Zod (Michael Shannon) attempts a military coup of the Kryptonian government but is thwarted by Jor-El – who is in turn killed by Zod – who is sent into the Phantom Zone prison for his crimes. Apparently just staying on a planet that is doomed to explode is not punishment enough; but Zod and his cronies come out on top when the exploding planet actually frees them from the Phantom Zone.

Zod then locates Kal-El on Earth after a beacon is inadvertently activated at the Fortress of Solitude (although Supes’ arctic hideaway is never referred to by that name in the movie.) The General then comes to Earth to seek revenge on Jor-El by killing his only son, and to recover the Kryptonian “codex” that was sent to Earth with Kal-El.

But the codex, which contains the DNA (or some other such molecular information) of every Kryptonian citizen, is actually within Superman’s blood, and just as Kal-El is beginning to learn the full capabilities of his powers, he is faced with an epic battle against Zod and his minions and the fate of the Earth is in his hands.

Before I go off the deep end in my criticism of this film, let me first say that despite its many issues, I didn’t hate the Man of Steel, there’s plenty to like and although the film did not fulfill my fanboy fantasies regarding what the perfect Superman movie should be, it does have its moments.

Although the father-son relationship is not as well-developed as I would have liked, I really enjoyed the sequences with Kevin Costner as Pa Kent and for me his character was the soul of this otherwise spiritless story. I can’t say I’m as happy, though, with the kids who play the young Clark Kent at different ages, but I’ll forgo bashing the child actors here.

Of all the Superman films that have been made, this movie makes the most overt attempt to symbolically align the story of Superman with the story of Christ, and at one point even has Clark in a church asking advice as to whether he should sacrifice himself for the good of mankind. The way this scene unfolds could be interpreted a couple of different ways, and even though it plays a little awkward (perhaps intentionally), for me it was one of the most poignant parts of the film.

As a movie fan, I also liked many of the visual hat-tips to classic movies that are littered throughout Man of Steel, with my favorite being the High Noon like showdown on the Main Street of Smallville; and although this new movie goes to great lengths to distance itself from the prior Superman films, it still pays respectful homage to those movies.

Fans of the Superman comics will also enjoy several nods to the super-source material (comic-books.) The long-ignored Pete Ross (Superboy’s friend) makes his film debut and a young Lana Lang also makes an appearance. The female villainess Faora (Antje Traue) appears as the most interesting and impressive baddie in the film (in my opinion overshadowing Zod) and I’m sure that fans with their super-senses primed will discover many hidden treats throughout the movie.

I also truly liked Henry Cavill in the role of Superman. He’s a decent actor and physically looks the part, even without the costume. I can’t put any of this movie’s misfortunate turns on this actor and if we do in fact see a sequel (which is allegedly already planned) I hope to see him as the Man of Steel again – but preferably in a much better film.

That’s the good news, now to this movie’s many issues, the worst of which is its extended battle sequences between Superman and the army of Zod, proving that you can indeed have way too much of a good thing (if wanton destruction of the planet and the cities of Smallville and Metropolis is considered a good thing.) After an extended period of watching these fights my brain felt as if I had gone twelve rounds with the Kryptonian villains.

To make matters worse, there is no new ground covered in the quality of the special effects for this movie and at this point we’ve seen it all before. Some of the flying effects were quite good, but other sequences looked like they might have been lifted from outtakes of the original 70s film. This may have been caused by the muddled 3D effects or the low-contrast filter tint that Snyder uses in his films, but either way the result is often not good.

The usually talented Amy Adams as Lois Lane (With red hair?) was completely miscast in this movie and I never for a moment believed her portrayal of the seasoned female journalist/Superman’s girlfriend; and Perry White (Laurence Fishburne) along with the rest of The Daily Planet crew seemed to have no useful purpose and were a complete waste of screen time – with reporter Clark Kent never playing a part in the picture at all. I’m okay with leaving these characters out of this reboot altogether, but if you’re determined to put them in the movie at least have them serving the story in some way.

Another big issue for me is the way in which the narrative is played out. The film jumps around more than the Man of Steel does himself and his childhood origin is all told in intermittent flashbacks. As mentioned, the interaction between the young Clark and foster dad Jonathan Kent are some of the best moments in the film, but they are scattered so sporadically through the 143 minute running time that you never get to truly enjoy them. There is another issue with Pa Kent that I can’t get into for fear of spoilage, but it is a pivotal plot point that is ill-conceived and almost unintentionally laughable.

Man of Steel is in desperate need of a re-cut, but in addition to multiple scenes that are unnecessary, there are plenty of gaps that should have been filled. Like how did the Kents find Kal-El? Yes, I know that everybody already knows this, but if your goal is to reinvent a character, then you’re not really allowed to rely on common knowledge to fill plot holes (at least I think that’s a rule – or it should be in this instance.)

I can live with undisciplined editing, overlong running time and counterproductive characters, but my biggest problem with the Man of Steel is that it is missing its heart. The film ends with a perfect flashback sequence showing a young Clark with a red towel tucked into his shirt as he plays with his dog and strikes the famous hands-on-his-hips Superman pose (you may have caught this scene in the film’s trailers as well.) That one shot sums up the heart and soul that should have possessed this entire movie, but the film disappointingly falls short on that promise.

I get where Snyder, Goyer and Nolan are going with Superman; they’re trying to make his story more gritty and realistic (like what Nolan did with Batman) and I’m okay with that, but I feel like the essence of Superman was lost in the confusing narrative, extended fights and muddy character development. Maybe if they had shown Superman directly saving some of the thousands of people who surely die in the battle of Metropolis, instead of focusing on the seemingly never-ending combat with Zod, I might have felt more in touch with the hero I know and love.

So Man of Steel is a tough one to evaluate, my right-brain is disappointed that this film was not the creative and inspirational achievement I had dreamt it would be, while my left-brain wants it to still be successful so that they will make another (hopefully better) sequel. I want to watch this movie again with my lowered expectations and without the annoying and darkening 3D effects (which I hate in almost any movie), and maybe I’ll come away happier than I was with my first viewing – because with Superman, there’s always hope. Grade: 6.5/10

Photos © 2013 Warner Bros. Pictures

Writer/director Seth Rogen along with his cohort Evan Goldberg (Pineapple Express), and together with their actor friends, James Franco, Jonah Hill, Jay Baruchel, Danny McBride and Craig Robinson, apparently think that their fans are interested in how they might comically react to the ‘end of days.’ I applaud Rogen and crew for having the money and resources to indulge themselves in this juvenile fantasy, but I don’t think that their concept it’s going to work beyond the circle of buddies who star in the film.

Based on a 2007 short film, Jay and Seth Versus the Apocalypse, the expanded This is the End feature begins with Mr. Rogen meeting his pal Jay (Baruchel) at the LAX Airport for a visit that involves catching up by playing video games and smoking dope (oh, and a huge corporate promo for the Carl’s Jr. fast-food restaurant.) After a day of this, Seth convinces a reluctant Jay they should visit James Franco, who is hosting a housewarming party at an elaborate mansion he’s built of his own design.

A plethora of stars are on hand for the party and the film has cameos by Emma Watson, Paul Rudd, Mindy Kaling, Channing Tatum, the pop star Rihanna, and a very obnoxious Michael Cera. Crazy out-of-character (one would hope) wackiness ensues until Jay, who is understandably uncomfortable with many of Seth’s new friends, goes out for some cigarettes. Apparently in a house filled with every conceivable vice, he still must go to the corner convenience store for smokes.

While Seth and Jay are out to the store a major earthquake strikes and afterwards bystanders begin being lifted into the heavens by beams of blue light. The panicked pair fight their way through the ensuing chaos back to Franco’s where the party is still going, completely oblivious to the apocalyptic events outside.

Jay tries to explain to the partygoers that the prophesized end of the world is upon them, but he is just laughed at until the partiers go outdoors and see their city aflame. The ground opens up and swallows everyone but Rogan and his friends, who then hole up in Franco’s mansion while the world dies around them and demonic beasts walk the Earth.

The group of friends must fight to survive and attempt to redeem themselves so that they can hopefully be transported to heaven before they die. The premise is quite possibly the most elaborate set-up ever for what is basically a series of “jokes” involving masturbation and vomiting.

The film incorporates everything from demon possession, to roaming bands of marauders, to an insane surprise finale that I won’t mention here, but that anyone who is familiar with 90s music is sure to enjoy. There’s nothing really new in this movie, it’s just Rogen and his pals trying to one-up Adam Sandler and his cadre of crude comedians. That the actors play “themselves” in this movie is just a gimmick to try and make this material appear fresh.

Although Rogen and friends try, it’s not really possible to be self-effacing while starring in a fantasy film about yourself. Despite the vulgar humor and endless inside jokes, This is the End does have a few clever gags, but this movie was made to entertain Rogen, his buddies and his die-hard fans – in that order – and as I am not a part of either of those groups, I found this movie mildly entertaining at best. Grade: 5/10

Photos © 2013 Columbia Pictures

Free RPG Day is June 15, and two Valley stores are participating: Imperial Outpost Games in the West Valley and Bad Moon Gaming in Apache Junction.

The annual industry event will have robust offerings with the participation of publishers such as Paizo, Fantasy Flight Games, Chessex, Troll Lord Games and Goodman Games, among others.

The original roleplaying game, Dungeons & Dragons, won’t be officially represented this year, with Wizards of the Coast instead opting to hold a D&D Game Day event on the same day as a prelude to the next season of its D&D Encounters organized play program.

The event is an industry awareness campaign that has much in common with the more well known Free Comic Book Day. Among local gaming stores, Arizona participation has been rather tepid in recent years. Show your support and that may change.

[EDIT: Sony released further spec and camera details late after their conference. This article has been updated to reflect those newly revealed additions]

The Xbox One is bulkier, but comes with a Kinect at its $499 price.

Xbox One – $499

Specs: 500 GB hard drive, 8GB RAM, 8-core x86 processor, HDMI, blu-ray player, and Kinect included.

Release date: Sometime in November.

Subscription needed: Yes. Xbox Live Gold will still be needed to access streaming apps, multiplayer, and store exclusives.

Noted exclusive games: Minecraft, Quantam Break, Sunset Overdrive, Forza Motorsport 5.

Xbox One got off to a slow start after the PS4 was announced, but has since shown off its console and debuted a slew of incoming games for the console in this upcoming year. At its initial debut in May, the company showed the consoles’ focus on cable TV integration, easily suspended/resumed applications and games, furthered Kinect integration, and partnerships with the NFL, NBA, and other sports associations for season-long programming.

Insomniac debuted their quirky-styled shooter Sunset Overdrive at the Microsoft conference.

At E3 Microsoft redirected its focus to games as it showed off games such as TitanFall (a third-person mech shooter), Ryse: Son of Rome, Battlefield 4 and Dead Rising 3. The games were mostly trailers than gameplay, but what was shown wasn’t enough to impress the crowds in attendance.

The positives were the company’s changeover from the use of Microsoft points, to real currency, as well as the fact that current Xbox Live Gold subscriptions could be carried over to the Xbox One so there would be no need to re-buy immediately. Microsoft is also rewarding current Gold members with two select free games per month until the new system launches.

Where the Xbox One has struggled is where it stands on used games and the need for internet connections. According to Microsoft, games bought on disc will be downloaded and installed to the Xbox One drive, where anyone can play on that particular console. Games can be gifted digitally to only one other person and said person MUST be on your friends list for at least 30 days before you can give the game to them. As far as disc-based games, the option for third-party publishers to charge a transfer or license resale fee is still available and at their discretion, so the actual price of buying a used game is unknown as of yet.

Oh, and renting games won’t be available at launch either.

Alongside that, the Xbox One requires an internet connection once every 24 hours for the purpose of updating the console. If a user attempts to game offline for longer than 24 hours, they would be effectively locked out of their games until they reconnected to the internet. This applies to all games, single and multiplayer alike.

The Playstation 4 is smaller and sleeker at a $399 price, but may require an additional camera purchase later on.

Playstation 4 – $399

Specs: 500 GB hard drive, 8GB RAM, 8-core x86 processor, HDMI, and blu-ray player.

Release date: Sometime in the 2013 holiday season.

Subscription needed: Yes, Playstation Plus is needed for access to multiplayer in games only.

Noted exclusive games: inFamous: Second Son, Killzone: Shadow Fall, The Order: 1886.

The Playstation 4 was triggering its guns early this year with their controller reveal and game teasers. At E3 the company revealed the actual console, price, release window, games, and a look into the furthered role of the Playstation Plus service.

Sucker Punch showed off some inFamous: Second Son gameplay during Sony’s conference.

Sony showed off PS4 games such as Bungie’s (the makers of Halo) first-person-shooter Destiny, Final Fantasy Versus XIII (with actual gameplay), and trailers for other upcoming titles such as Kingdom Hearts III and DriveClub. Also shown was a slew of indie games such as Octodad, Don’t Starve, Outlast, and Secret Ponchos, which would be featured on the console in its launch year.

The company made a point to delve into its online services, highlighting that there would be no restrictions or fees to the resale or lending (and presumably, renting) of used games.

On the flip side, Sony very sneakily commented that a Playstation Plus subscription would be needed to access multiplayer features of a game. However, the PS4 itself does not require an internet connection to play media, and the Plus subscription would not be needed to play single player campaigns or access online movie and music services (such as Netflix or Crackle).

While it appears Sony has landed a winning punch, it is important to highlight that the company will be selling an additional system camera for $59. While it doesn’t appear that this camera is necessary for game play, it could make the $399 price inflate if you wanted to get the full PS4 experience.

Both systems are in fairly close running as far as specs are concerned, but the biggest divides lie with subscription services, used game policies, and launch lineups. With all this in mind, which console will you buy? Let us know in the comments below!

The official teaser trailer for Star Wars: Battlefront, developed by DICE (creators of Battlefield) and utilizing the innovative Frostbite 3 engine.

It’s true: Star Wars Battlefront. #EAE3

— Electronic Arts (@EA) June 10, 2013

The first poster for The Hobbjt: The Desolation of Smaug was unveiled Sunday, along with promise of a teaser trailer on Tuesday.

The film is set for a Dec. 13 release.