Movies with James Paradie - Hellboy 3: Stop Playing with Our Emotions!

The Hellboy movies (1 and 2) are two of my favorite movies. In my top 15/20, at least. The imagination and effort to stay close to the source material is impeccable to any superhero movie out there. With a solid cast, a solid director, and special effects team, both movies are highly enjoyable. Hellboy 2 also has, in my opinion, beat out the usual "the sequel is not better than the original" stigma. In my opinion, Hellboy 2 is actually better, both in terms of writing and visuals, than its predecessor. 

If you're a Hellboy fan (both comics and movies) like me, you've probably been waiting anxiously for Hellboy 3. For years, since it was made, we've heard some promises that it will happen, it's just going to take some time. With Ron Perlman and Guillmero del Toro busy with other projects, we had to wait patiently for any visible sign that it was going to happen. Perlman and del Toro have been very vocal about wanting to conclude the Hellboy series and (spoiler alert) see Hellboy be the bringer of the apocalypse as foretold to him by the Angel of Death in The Golden Army (the subtitle for Hellboy 2). But ... what happened? 

Time could be a factor. I mean, how long have we been told a Ghostbusters 3 was going to happen? Thirty years? Too much time went by and Sony gave us Ghostbusters: Answer the Call or Feigbusters, as I like to call it. Hellboy 2 is only nine years old, but the problem is, out of sight out of mind. Apparently Universal Studios may feel the same, however, that hasn't been confirmed. 

But the interest is pretty high. Like I said, both Ron Perlman and del Toro have been vocal about doing the third movie. Perlman especially who goes through moments where he drowns us in Hellboy related posts on his Facebook (and trust me, I love it.) Always making mentions to spread the word to have the final movie made. Interests really sparked when both del Toro and Perlman posted this: 

Perlman also posted his own version on Facebook, which yes, I did vote Hell, yes. This caused Hellboy 3 to trend on Facebook, maybe other places too. I only have a Facebook, so I only know about that. But from reading the trend, it seemed like a lot of people were on board. Things were looking up, until recently:

A resounding HELL NO response. I would like to think maybe this is just a way to keep things under wrap; surprise us eventually. But I don't know if del Toro is the prankster type. He seems up front about a lot of things. Like when Konami cancelled Silent Hills, a project he was working on with video game veteran, Hideo Kojima. Fans were pissed off about that, myself included, however it is abundantly clear that it's not a practical joke and not happening. Also, considering that Konami severed ties with Kojima and banned him from attending The Game Awards, but we're not here to talk about that.

So, even though I want to keep my fingers crossed that this is a joke. We're gonna have a laugh about this once we see the trailer for Hellboy 3. We will say, "Oh, del Toro. You prankster son of a bitch!" However, if there is an off set chance that won't be happening. We won't be sharing laughs. Let's say, okay, it's not happening.

There's also the fact that Hellboy creator, Mike Mignola was not very amused by the way del Toro has handled Hellboy 3. This is an excerpt from his interview with French magazine, Le Figaro - do keep in mind, the entirety of the article/interview is written in French, but it is a French magazine after all:

"I was not very happy with the way he did that, just publishing a Tweet. I would have been very pleased to see Guillermo with Ron Perlman, who has played Hellboy on the screen since 2004, and discussing this sequel. Ron and I had seen each other. Then, Guillermo made this [show] on the Internet. I said to myself: “Call me if you want to talk to me, do not go through the Internet, you have my number.” I think we’ve both evolved in separate directions since the second Hellboy. I look forward to seeing what he will do next, but I do not see us working together again. He has his idea for the next Hellboy but, in all sincerity, I do not see him [realizing] the film. Too much water has flowed under the bridges from Hellboy 2."

Unfortunate, but I do agree with Mignola, but I see where del Toro was going with the Tweet, trying to build hype. However, in a Facebook post, he said this:

So, there is hope, at least. I'm not sure what he meant by the different direction comment; new director? New actors? Who knows until it happens? I am intrigued by the TV show idea. Maybe a BPRD spinoff that's still in the del Toro/Hellboy universe? 

But what if THAT doesn't even happen? What then? Are there alternatives?

Sure.

There's the animated route and Hellboy has two animated movies out. Both of which I own. There is:

Sword of Storms 

Has the same cast as the Hellboy movies. All return. Not sure if it's connected to the movies or not, but with the same voice cast as the movies, I'd just say yes. Pretty good movie, however, I like ...

Blood and Iron

I liked Blood and Iron much better. While Sword of Storms was pretty good, the pace was a little eh in some areas. Where Blood and Iron, even if it's slow, it's still creepy enough to keep your interest. 

So, why not use the Hellboy 3 script and just turn it into an animated movie? Well, according to the Hellboy wikia, there was a third animated movie planned, but it has been abandoned. The reason, according Hellboy animated producer, Tad Stones, that the project would happen all depended on how well Hellboy 2 did. Even though it made its $85 million dollar budget back and then a little more, I guess it wasn't enough to promise another animated feature. Which is probably why this isn't a route for a Hellboy 3 either. What else? 

Comics! 

Hellboy started out as a comic, so why not do Hellboy 3 as a comic? The only problem is what Mike Mignola said in both the French interview and the Facebook post. It seems Mignola wants to stay away from del Toro for now. I guess that's nixed. 

Truth is ... 

Universal/del Toro/Mignola should have hit while the iron was still hot as hell. I know all had projects to finish, so they do have a good excuse, but I think if they worked on it immediately or shorter after Hellboy 2 finished, they would've accomplished giving us a final installment. Like I said earlier, there are alternatives, but with all the involved parties having other projects on their hands, it almost looks like another Ghostbusters 3 debacle. It will be brought up every now and then, it's filming, it's filming, they're waiting for someone to sign on, etc. etc. but it will remain in developmental hell. I hope this doesn't happen. I hope they come to an understanding that Hellboy 3 should happen and it has the potential to be very successful. It's just getting all their cards on deck. 

It would be a HELL of a movie! 

Okay, I'm done with the hell puns.

Movies and the Paranormal: Phenomenon

Movies and the Paranormal: Phenomenon
By James Paradie

A new feature to Scared Sheetless is that I’m going to share my thoughts on movies that have to do with paranormal or paranormal like plots. The first one that get’s the honor is the 1996 movie, Phenomenon. Now, I’m not one for spoiling movies, because I really don’t like it when people do that with me, but I will basically tell some of the plot in a nutshell.

George Malley, played by John Travolta, is your average day Joe: he lives in a small town, owns a body shop, and everyone knows him and loves him. They love him so much they pull this birthday party at a bar where everyone is having a good time. George meets a friend outside to say thanks for coming to his party when he goes out in the empty streets and toasts the stars for a great birthday. He notices something strange in the sky though, this bright light that is coming down…towards him. He has no time to move or to even panic as the lights comes down at him and he falls to the ground. This is the start to a movie that I honestly think is epic in a theatrical and a “what if” sort of way.

Theatrical it is intriguing because you have all the elements and they blend in real well. You have the, in my opinion, a great actor, that being John Travolta. You have the interesting plot, that being this man get’s struck by an unknown force and gathers super intelligence as well as telekinesis which means that he can move objects with his mind. You also have the FBI which is usually shown in its cliché way of being evil, but in a way where you can perceive that’s how they would act with a man who has these powers.

How’s it interesting in a “What if” sort of way? Well, with all movies I like to question myself “Could that happen?” Usually the movies that I answer yes are the ones that interest me the most. I did answer yes with this, but it’s not so much of someone having supernatural powers, but the fact of how people would react. You got this guy who has these powers, has these great ideas, wants to help people better their lives, but then you get the people who thinks he’s some sort of alien and are only interested in the negatives.

Pretty soon in the movie you realize that George does become this circus side show act where everyone forgets about the nice guy George and starts only caring about his powers. If you were in that position, wouldn’t you get a bit tensed? Feel like your trapped in your own skin? It’s like me hunting ghosts, I get these people all the time who thinks it’s awesome, but then there’s those few who just totally disrespect my beliefs and ask me foolish questions like, “Where’s the jar you put the ghost in?” Off the record, you’re mistaking me for a Ghostbuster. That’s a movie, what I do is real, and completely different. Second of all, it’s called an ecto-containment unit not a “ghost jar.” But no matter what, you will get these people who would rather just laugh in your face, spit on your theories, than just accepting them. Do I 100% believe in aliens? I can’t say for sure, but I got a good friend who does, so I respect his theories.

In this movie, however, the people just start becoming almost unbearable and do treat George like an alien. Some thinks he’s a fraud, others think he is sent down from the Heavens, or from aliens, but what it all comes down to is that they can’t handle it. Mass hysteria takes over the town where people just don’t leave the man be and just let him live his live. It’s not a question of “How are you doing?” anymore, it’s a question of “How did you become this way?” And I think everyone would agree that if something like this did happen, then that’s exactly how people would act. The majority at least, because most people fear what they do not understand. That’s probably why skeptics automatically throw any or all theories out, because they simply do not understand it.

The people feared this man and the way it all ends is definitely a tear jerker. Even if you do not believe in supernatural powers, I suggest you watch this movie, because it is phenomenal. It’s not an action, it’s not a thriller, but the best it does for you is that it makes you think. Are there people out there like this? How about those people who CAN open parts of their brain that others can’t. What they can do if they opened their minds even more. Think about it, but while you’re thinking of it, rent this movie.