the buzz log
Buzz Multipex: Watch and Learn
"Watchmen" has taken the Buzz Multiplex hostage. Fans are seeking out reviews and soundtrack information, refreshing themselves on the characters, and studying the cast ... but the first blockbuster of 2009 may not fare so easily in its ambitions. Follow the rundown—and the reservations—on this cult classic:
Who's Watching the Watchmen. Yes, this is the male bonding-nostalgia-passing-on-a-tradition movie of the week. Guys through age 54 make up 72% of the online followers. Nearly every state in the union save six are looking into the phenomenon. The longest lines? Tucscon, Ariz, followed by Flint (Mich.), Harlingen (Tex.), Los Angeles and New York City.
The Fathers of the Watchmen. Alan Moore wrote about them, Dave Gibbons drew them, and John Higgins colored them. Big interviews in Buzz: Moore discusses education through comics to Salon, Gibbons talks technique to Wired, and Higgins stays quiet.
Character Studies. The Star Ledger sums up the primary six characters. The most sought-after character in searches on Yahoo! from the past 7 days: Dr. Manhattan, closely followed by Rorschach and Silk Spectre.
All About Akerman. Malin Akerman, who plays Silk Spectre II, doesn't just have double the searches of the movie's title: She has received more Web look-ups than the movie, cast, and character combined.
Box Office Projections. The take may bust this weekend's box ofice, but "Watchmen" isn't likely to break any records. Business Insider offers five reasons why the film will be a bust in the long run. Here's some data to back up the reasoning: The movie landed in the top 400 searches from the past 7 days, but films like "Spider-Man" have had stronger and longer lead-in Web activity. Considering the high number of "reviews" searches, fanboys (or men, considering the graphic novel came out in 1986) may be looking to save themselves from seeing Hollywood ruin some Moore.
Review Round-Up. Moore's boycotting it, but that's just based on personal principle and past experience. For those who have seen it, critical reaction ranges from grade As (Roger Ebert, E! Online) to Cs (USA Today, LA Times). What's good: The "superhero-noir murder mystery" boasts "visceral" graphics with characters that have "surprising conviction." Naysayers find the nearly three-hour exercise "plodding, convoluted and forgettable," a both "nihilistic and campy ... soap opera" absent the graphic novel's "cerebral tone," and with heroes in "silly Halloween get-ups."
Filed under: Movies, Actors, Comic Books, Superheroes
Look, Up on the Screen: The Superhero Quest
Leaping tall buildings in a single bound is a lot easier than making the leap from comic book to the silver screen. Hopes have been meteoric for Alan Moore's graphic novel "Watchmen," which has waited 23 years for its cinematic transplant.
Yet, for every Dark Knight or X-Men cinematic exploit, lesser comic book heroes such as The Spirit, The Phantom, Judge Dredd, and the Punisher (thrice) have taken critical beatings and been ignored by the masses. And let's not forget Moore's abused adaptations (which the comic artist himself boycotted, including this latest): "From Hell" (2001), "The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen" (2003), and "Constantine" (2005). (The verdict on a fourth, "V for Vendetta" (2005), was marginally kinder.) Cracked.com makes the point with its round-up of "least faithful comic book movies," while Reuters revives the specter of Howard the Duck in its box office list.
Enough box-office successes, though, mean a never-ending line of graphic protagonists ready for their big shot. Come May 7, the X-Men series returns to focus on Hugh Jackman's Wolverine, the sexiest mutant alive. G.I. Joe and his kung-fu grip was an action figure before a comic, but buzz for "Rise of Cobra"—due out Aug. 7—is busting out all over.
In 2010, the skies and multiplexes will be crowded with Iron Man's return (May 7), followed by big-budget newcomers Norse god Thor (July 16), Western anti-hero Jonah Hex (Aug. 10), and Green Lantern (Dec. 17).
Originally slated for June 25 but looking mighty unlikely: the comic dream team of Stephen Chow (" Shaolin Soccer") and Seth Rogen in " The Green Hornet." Possibly replacing Chow as director is Michel Gondry ("Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind"). Comic books have pulled in heavyweight actors and directors (e.g. Liam Neeson in "Dark Man"), and the upcoming ones promise Oscar nominee Josh Brolin as Hex and director Kenneth Branagh behind Thor.
Among the never-ending search for superheroes online, favorite Wonder Woman still has not lassoed a real deal. Who's the villain behind that one? Below is a list of those who have made the leap from strip to multiplex.
Most Searched Big Screen-Comic Book Heroes, past 30 days
- Batman AKA Dark Knight
- Watchmen
- G.I. Joe
- Superman
- Dragonball
- X-Men
- Hulk
- Green Lantern
- Wonder Woman
- Iron Man
Filed under: Movies, Batman, Comic Books, Superheroes, Superman
Trailer Trashed?
Put some mutton chops and metal claws on the Sexiest Man Alive, and you have yourself one of the most anticipated movies of 2009.
The newly released trailer for Hugh Jackman's "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" is causing a stir on the Web. The pulses racing the most over the Wolverine backstory belong to guys 13-54: They make up 8 out of 10 searches for "wolverine trailer." Whence do most fervent fanboys hail? Utah. That's right, the Beehive State bristles with anticipation for an advance peek of the muscular mutant.
In a culture that can discuss books after reading the jacket, some critics have already judged the movie as a "crushing disappointment," with a "sleep walking" Jackman who's "buried in an avalance of iffy green screen work and animalistic sneering." Ouch, watch those claws. The blockbuster's "pedigree" (cast, scriptwriter, and director) does get an admiring glance, but given the mixed reviews (especially about a flying Jackman), the director might as well have used the actor's musical talents and gone for "Wolverine: The Musical."
While "Origins" has wrapped up most of the attention this week, other trailers have been whetting movie fan appetites for 2009—as listed below with the theatrical release dates. (Incidentally. "Spider-Man 4" isn't due out until 2011, but its lookups would've put the film at No. 9.)
Top 2009 Trailer Searches, Past 7 Days
- Wolverine Trailer (Release date: May 1)
- New Moon Trailer ("Twilight" sequel, Nov. 20)
- Harry Potter Trailer ("Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince," July 17)
- Transformers 2 Trailer (June 26)
- Dragonball Movie Trailer ("Dragonball Evolution," April 8)
- Terminator Salvation Trailer (May 22)
- 2012 Trailer (July 10)
- Star Trek Trailer (May 8)
- G.I. Joe Trailer (Aug. 7)
- Watchmen Trailer (Mar. 6)
Filed under: Movies, Movie Trailers, Comic Books, X-Men
Spider-Man: From Comic to Broadway
Just when you thought it was all about Batman, Spider-Man comes swooping back into the Buzz. The web-slinger is slated to star in a new videogame, appear in a comic book with Stephen Colbert, and make his Broadway musical debut. Seriously.
First up, the videogame. Kotaku reports that "Spider-Man: Web of Shadows" will feature Tricia Helfer as the voice of the smart and sensual Black Cat. For all you non-geeks, Helfer is best known as playing "Number Six," the sexiest robot this side of C-3PO, on "Battlestar Galactica." The game has yet to hit store shelves, but searches are already moving for "web of shadows reviews" and "spider-man web of shadows characters."
Less obvious than a videogame is a comic book team up with America's number one freedom fighter, Stephen Colbert. Still, that's exactly what will happen in Amazing Spider-Man #573. In the eight page tongue-in-cheek story, Colbert becomes disillusioned with New York politics, only to have his faith restored (unintentionally) by Spidey. For more on the unlikely pair, check out this blog from Newsarama.
Finally, showing that even sanity must step aside in the face of Spidey-mania, a Broadway musical based on the superhero will hit stages in 2009. According to multiple articles within the Buzz, including this one from io9, Jim Sturgess will star as the man in the red and blue leotard and Evan Rachel Wood will tackle the role of Mary Jane Watson. If this seems like a completely insane idea, remember that the theater has a long history of bizarre musicals based on movies. And some of them have even been huge successes. "Legally Blonde," anyone?
Filed under: Broadway, Spider-Man, Stephen Colbert, Comic Books
Buzz Multiplex: A Knight's Tale
Swedish pop counterprogramming sounds like a good idea, but it's safe to say that "Mamma Mia!" (PG-13)—and the "DVD-destined "Space Chimps" (G) combined—won't have the throngs that a long-awaited, much-searched comic-book thriller will amass. In any other week, making the top 2,000 searches would be respectable, but a singing Meryl Streep probably won't attract the disappointed dregs who couldn't score Batman tickets. Then again, there could be spontaneous singing in the ticket lines, if the rising interest in "abba lyrics" (+239%) is any warning.
A darkness, however, has shrouded the Buzz Multiplex, to the hysterical delight of audiences. The question isn't whether "The Dark Knight" (PG-13) will sweep past "Iron Man" (pre-premiere searches for the Batman movie searches just edged past what the Robert Downey Jr. vehicle commanded before its May 2 opening). It's whether Nolan's vision will blow Spidey records, a feat perhaps limited only by running time (152 minutes) and number of theaters (4366).
From the mind of "Memento" director (well, also his brother and the guy who wrote the "Blade" series) comes a comic-book noir thriller that, among other things, delves into America's war on terror and a what-if ethical dilemma called the Trolley Problem. Nolan and titular actor Christian Bale may have resuscitated Batman but it is the late Heath Ledger who breathes life into this big-screen outing. His online appeal surpasses that of the entire stellar cast combined, including Bale, Michael Caine, Aaron Eckhart, Morgan Freeman, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Cillian Murphy, and Gary Oldman. Although Ledger reaps most of the rapturous accolades, his villainy is not the only one: People have also been looking up "dark knight two face" and "batman scarecrow."
All this frothing adoration has yielded a not-unexpected dark side: The few film critics who dare to sound any low notes, most notably New York Magazine critic David Edelstein, have suffered fanboy attacks. Others who may need a protector include those from the Washington Post ("Ledger the only bright spot in a dull tale"), the Sacramento Bee (the movie "never reaches Ledger's level" or that of "Batman Begins..."), and the Wall Street Journal ("muddled plot"). If it's any consolation to these professionals, people have been seeking "reviews," perhaps likely to confirm that this is indeed the most lauded movie of 2008, if not of any big-screen comic-book adventure.
"The Dark Knight" is sure to be among the select few films to linger in theaters. Still, given the fervor, latecomers might want to get advanced tickets for the next few weekends... and learn a few lines of "dancing queen" (+25%), just in case.
Filed under: Movies, Batman, Comic Books, Space, Cartoons, Musicals, Monkeys
top movers
| Rank | Subject | 1-Day Move |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ford 400 | Breakout! |
| 2 | Indonesia Ferry | Breakout! |
| 3 | Jordan Chandler | 3481% |
| 4 | Evan Chandler | 2322% |
| 5 | American Music Awards | 1841% |
| 6 | John F. Kennedy | 1529% |
| 7 | Turkey Stuffing Recipes | 1361% |
| 8 | Liam Hemsworth | 1172% |
| 9 | Lou Dobbs | 1142% |
| 10 | Hendrick Motorsports | 888% |
top leaders
| Rank | Subject | Move | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Black Friday | +340 | 1290 |
| 2 | NFL | +489 | 670 |
| 3 | Jennifer Lopez | +451 | 515 |
| 4 | New Moon | -67 | 250 |
| 5 | American Music Awards | +236 | 249 |
| 6 | UFC | -36 | 239 |
| 7 | Miley Cyrus | +66 | 169 |
| 8 | Hulu | -11 | 154 |
what's the buzz?
A subject's buzz score is the percentage of Yahoo! users searching for that subject on a given day, multiplied by a constant to make the number easier to read. Weekly leaders are the subjects with the greatest average buzz score for a given week.
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