Category Archives: Movies

News related to the cinematic incarnations of G.I. joe.

8 days until G.I. Joe Retaliation – tank battle

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Twitziller takes us into the final stretch with today’s reason to be excited about the debut of G.I. Joe Retaliation: the tank battle!

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I just want to say “it’s about time!”  Growing up as a young Joe fan I always had a soft spot for the tanks of the toy line.  The MOBAT, the Mauler, the HISS– these were the things of legend in a kids military toy line!  When G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra debuted in theatres the final act of the film featured CGI submarines fighting in CGI water with CGI sinking ice.  Yawn.  This time around, we’re seeing some real tanks (at least the Ripsaw) in a REAL tank battle!  It’s the kind of final that kids played out time and time again in their back yards with their own toy tanks.  This time, however, it’ll be exploding on the big screen and that’s just fine with me!

Check out the rest of Twitziller’s “40 Reasons to be Excited About G.I. Joe Retaliation” series below:

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day-39-minitank
day-38-desert-ambush
day-37-flint
day-36-concept-design
day-35-hiss-tank
day-7-roadblock
day-5-motion
day-6-cobra-commander-battle-helmet
day-4-lady-jaye
day-34-zartan
day-33-on-the-run
day-32-cobra-helicopter
day-31-rappelling-assault
day-30-practical-effects
day-29-assault-vtol
day-3-lighting
day-2-battle-kata-gear
day-1-gi-joe
day-28-storm-shadow

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G.I. Joe Retaliation score available on Google Play store

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G.I. Joe Retaliation soundtrack score

My dislike of Apple isn’t very veiled. So, when it was announced that the G.I. Joe Retaliation soundtrack album was available prior to April 2 on iTunes, I knew I had to seek another venue for obtaining it. Thankfully, a quick search on my Android phone revealed that iTunes wasn’t the only game in town!

G.I. Joe Retaliation by Henry Jackman – Google Play $9.49

Here’s the track listing one more time for those who might have missed it before:

Prologue (2:00)
Arashikage (1:38)
Get Me The GI Joes (2:34)
Friendly Fire (1:42)
Exile (3:34)
Presidential Facade (2:38)
Einsargen (2:44)
Making Things Go Boom (2:10)
Storm Shadow (2:12)
Bad Dojo (5:05)
Lady In Red (3:18)
Fighting Ugly (1:51)
Fort Sumter (2:37)
Scare Tactics (2:29)
I Want It All (0:51)
End Game (4:10)
Honor Restored (2:49)
Firefly (4:19)
Zartan (7:25)

Enjoy!  I know what I’ll be listening to right up until March 28, 2013!

9 days until G.I. Joe Retaliation – 3D

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Twitziller continues the countdown as we approach one week out from the opening of G.I. Joe Retaliation in theatres.  Today’s reason to be excited: 3D!

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Nine months ago the words “3D conversion” were akin to heresy in the G.I. Joe community.  After a long wait, the release of G.I. Joe Retaliation was unexpected delayed with Paramount Pictures citing a much-needed conversion to 3D as the reason.  Fans were outraged and rumors began to circle: the film tested poorly, more Channing Tatum was being added, Cobra had succeeded in getting it pulled from theatres, etc.  Regardless of the rumor, it seems that 3D had been part of director Jon M. Chu’s plan all along and he shot the film with 3D in mind.  According to recent interviews with the producers, once the studio execs saw the footage they insisted it be converted over to 3D– even if it meant the film was no longer a summer tent pole feature.

While many fans might doubt the reasons for the delay, it’s the release of clips such as the 4 minutes of mountain top ninja battle action released earlier today that really show how amazing this film will look when the “third dimension” is added.  Oh yeah, this is going to be amazing!

You can view the rest of Twitziller’s countdown below:

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day-39-minitank
day-38-desert-ambush
day-37-flint
day-36-concept-design
day-35-hiss-tank
day-7-roadblock
day-5-motion
day-6-cobra-commander-battle-helmet
day-4-lady-jaye
day-34-zartan
day-33-on-the-run
day-32-cobra-helicopter
day-31-rappelling-assault
day-30-practical-effects
day-29-assault-vtol
day-3-lighting
day-2-battle-kata-gear
day-1-gi-joe
day-28-storm-shadow

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4 minute clip from G.I. Joe Retaliation online!

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I’ve tried to stay spoiler-free when it comes to G.I. Joe Retaliation.  Really, I have.  I’ve only watched the shorter clips and have avoided asking those fortunate souls who’ve already seen the movie for details.  However, some times there are things so amazing that they prove that I’m really a weak weak Joe fan.

Remember that preview footage that was shown exclusively with the Hansel & Gretel film?  Well, the crew at ComicBookMovie.com have come through for the fandom and have been able to post the video on YouTube.

Seriously– be prepared for some pure AWESOME.

WOW! WOW!!  WOW!!!  From the pacing to the camera work to the scoring I was getting chills while watching this!  While it may be “just an action sequence” it’s the kind of amazing martial arts prowess that I’ve come to expect from the G.I. Joe comics.  Seriously– words are pretty much failing me right now.

Why is it not March 28th yet?!!!

G.I. Joe Retaliation score album on iTunes now

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G.I. Joe Retaliation soundtrack score

 I’m a bit of a film score junkie and so the April 2, 2013 release date for the score to G.I. Joe Retaliation has been on my radar for some time now.  Last night, thanks to the magic of Twitter, I saw that die-hard film score junkies and Joe fans can download Henry Jackman’s album early via Apple’s iTunes store!  Hit it directly HERE!

Thankfully the track listing is relatively spoiler-free.  The album clocks in at 55:46.

Prologue (2:00)
Arashikage (1:38)
Get Me The GI Joes (2:34)
Friendly Fire (1:42)
Exile (3:34)
Presidential Facade (2:38)
Einsargen (2:44)
Making Things Go Boom (2:10)
Storm Shadow (2:12)
Bad Dojo (5:05)
Lady In Red (3:18)
Fighting Ugly (1:51)
Fort Sumter (2:37)
Scare Tactics (2:29)
I Want It All (0:51)
End Game (4:10)
Honor Restored (2:49)
Firefly (4:19)
Zartan (7:25)

While his name might not be immediately recognizable, Henry Jackman, part of Hans Zimmer’s group of composers, boasts a fairly impressive resume.  In particular his scores for Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter and X-Men First Class were dynamic and melodic and make for some great listening both during the film and as isolated music.  Sadly, this particular site admin isn’t an iTunes user (one of the remaining few) and so I’ll have to wait until Amazon.com picks it up for download– hopefully in the next few days.

March 28, 2013 — here we come!

The G.I. Joe Retaliation review that matters

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Larry Hama

Larry Hama

In the next week there will be a lot of critics who turn their eye toward G.I. Joe Retaliation and offer their thoughts on the film’s merits.  Some will be familiar with the property and others will not– and therefore these reviews have the potential to be a bit of a mixed bag.  Sure, the critic for the Springfield Herald might have enjoyed the film but he might not have any idea of who the charaters are, etc.

Yesterday, Larry Hama, the fan-dubbed “godfather of G.I. Joe” was treated to a screening of the film.  The author of the majority of the file cards and comics from the A Real American Hero as well as the current ARAH comic from IDW, no single individual has contributed more to the characters of G.I. Joe than Larry.  He posted his spoiler-free thoughts on the film last night on Facebook:

I liked RETALIATION a lot. Vast improvement over ROC. Snake-Eyes and Storm Shadow are much more up front, and the whole thing is a lot more character-driven. Not only is there no sinking ice, but the big finale involves physical action with people rather than choreography of CGI vehicles. The Rock is perfect as Roadblock, and Bruce Willis’s take on Joe Colton is brill (he has some of the best lines.) There’s no sign of Scarlett, but the actress who plays Lady Jaye is quite good. Jinx is amazing. Flint is kind of meh. Overall, the direction is terrific and crisp. I can tell what is going on all the time, and everything LOOKS great. Ninja fight sequence in the mountains is amazing, in that you never lose track of what is happening, and there’s a ton of fast visual input. Is there stuff I didn’t like? That would be quibbling. The positive outweighs the negative here. And I walked out feeling that the characters had been treated with respect.

Larry’s background not only time in the US Army and extensive martial arts training but even work as a guild-sanctioned actor.  To hear that he felt the characters were treated well and that the film’s direction is solid may help reassure a lot of fans who were still on the fence about a live action sequel in the wake of G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra.

March 28 is rapidly approaching people!!!

JBL Review: G.I. Joe Retaliation Ninja Duel Snake Eyes

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ndsnakeeyesglory2

 

The G.I. Joe Retaliation reviews continue as we’re now 9 days away from the film’s debut on March 28, 2013!

There’s no shortage of Snake Eyes action figures in the G.I. Joe figure line so it shouldn’t surprise anyone that the team’s ninja commando has already had three figures released for the movie.  However, only one of those figures is screen accurate– the Ninja Duel Snake Eyes from wave 2.  Featuring an entirely new sculpt and increased articulation, this figure brings our favorite silent warrior’s updated look to your action figure shelf.  Does this figure justify the purchase of yet “another” Snake Eyes or can you pass and save yourself some extra cash?

Check out the break down in the G.I. Joe Retaliation Review Index and find out one Joe fan’s opinion!

10 days to G.I. Joe Retaliation – Cobra motorcycle

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Twitziller is taking us into the final 10 DAYS until the premiere of G.I. Joe Retaliation with today’s reason to be excited: the Cobra motorcycle!

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To call this thing a motorcycle is a misnomer as it appears to be “a collection of missiles that Firefly just happens to ride.”  Seriously– this thing is off the hook insane!  Sporting a Cobra logo (which is more than can be said of almost anything in the first film) and a wicked pair of machine guns, you’d think that this two wheeled craft was finished and ready for the streets.  Nope, someone at Cobra decided that the guns weren’t lethal enough and side-mounted launchers were just too passe.  You’d think this bike was assembled by the Techno-Vipers of the Alexx Shorts series of reviews!

Retaliation drops in 10 days.  Seriously– after all of the initial waiting and then the 9 month delay we’re now looking at 10 days.  How can you not be excited about this?

Check out the rest of Twitziller’s “40 Reasons to Be Excited for G.I. Joe Retaliation” images below:

day-40-color
day-39-minitank
day-38-desert-ambush
day-37-flint
day-36-concept-design
day-35-hiss-tank
day-7-roadblock
day-5-motion
day-6-cobra-commander-battle-helmet
day-4-lady-jaye
day-34-zartan
day-33-on-the-run
day-32-cobra-helicopter
day-31-rappelling-assault
day-30-practical-effects
day-29-assault-vtol
day-3-lighting
day-2-battle-kata-gear
day-1-gi-joe
day-28-storm-shadow

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11 days to G.I. Joe Retaliation – Snake Eyes and a bit of catching up.

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Twitziller continues his countdown to G.I. Joe Retaliation with today’s reason to be excited for the film’s release – Snake Eyes.

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In some ways, the Marvel Comics series of G.I. Joe very much became the story of Snake Eyes.  Initially the silent member of the original 13, the black-clad commando found himself to be the subject of more and more of the series mythos until finally for a brief period the title was dubbed “G.I. Joe – Starring Snake Eyes & Ninja Force.”  That level of over-exposure, however, did nothing to hamper his appeal because Snake Eyes was written as a character with substance.  From his tragic background with the death of his family to his time in Japan to his horrific disfigurement Snake Eyes was the Joe who never gave up and never surrendered.  He fought on against endless odds when lesser men would have quit, sat down, and wallowed in a sense of self-pity.  For that very reason, Larry Hama took what could have been a gimmicked character and instead turned him into someone who could serve as an inspiration to anyone who has ever found themselves facing a seemingly impossible situation.

During the past few days, the countdown updates haven’t posted at JBL.  Without going into details, there was a bit of a medical emergency which kept me from updating the site as often as I would have liked.  So, to bring those folks who haven’t see the rest of the reason up to date they will be presented below without comment.  (Especially the “14 days” image which even Twitziller felt needed to explanation.

Reason #12 – London Attack

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Reason #13 – Costume Design

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Reason #14 – Cobra Commander

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You can view the entire countdown series below as March 28, 2013 draws closer and closer.

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day-39-minitank
day-38-desert-ambush
day-37-flint
day-36-concept-design
day-35-hiss-tank
day-7-roadblock
day-5-motion
day-6-cobra-commander-battle-helmet
day-4-lady-jaye
day-34-zartan
day-33-on-the-run
day-32-cobra-helicopter
day-31-rappelling-assault
day-30-practical-effects
day-29-assault-vtol
day-3-lighting
day-2-battle-kata-gear
day-1-gi-joe
day-28-storm-shadow

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G.I. Joe Retaliation set visit details emerge across the internet

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G.I. Joe Retaliation March 28

Up until now the press for G.I. Joe Retaliation has been limited mostly to videos  released through Paramount Pictures and interviews conducted with some of the cast and crew.  Last year a number of websites were treated to set visits although the details of those excursions were held back when the film’s release date was pushed back.

Well, now the flood gates have opened!  Check out the following links for a plethora of great information!