After weeks of rather lackluster releases ("Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" being a prominent exception), we finally have a Tuesday jam-packed with first-run titles and notable catalog additions. From the on-screen debut of an elite military team to John Cusack's ode to love, we're covering them all in this DVD Report for Tuesday, November 3.
For any child of the '80s, the thought of "G.I. Joe" receiving the theatrical treatment was an intriguing proposition, and one fraught with worry. And for die-hard fans of writer Larry Hama's epic "G.I. Joe" comic book run, it was especially scary. In stark contrast to the campy animated series, Hama infused his 155-issue run with deeply developed character arcs, ever-twisting conspiracies and, to his credit, pulled no punches when it came to violence and death. Which "G.I. Joe" would the film rely on for its story and tone? While producers insisted they'd follow the comics -- and even brought Hama on as a creative consultant -- fans remained skeptical. Read more...
FROM SPLASH PAGE: Though he's all over the map this summer with April's "Fighting," July's "Public Enemies" and August's "G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra," actor Channing Tatum's biggest regret is missing the chance to play Cajun card player Gambit in May's "X-Men Origins: Wolverine".
Tatum, a self-professed comic book fan, holds the trench-coated mutant near and dear to his heart. According to Tatum, Gambit has always been his number-one superhero and one to which he feels a personal connection.
"Man, I was dying to play [Gambit]," Tatum told MTV News. "My dad's from Louisiana and I think I've always just gravitated towards Gambit in general. He's just cooler than anything to me."
To read the rest of Channing Tatum's thoughts on losing the role of Gambit, head over to SplashPage.MTV.com.
G.I. Joe, I don't know. Out of all the Super Bowl commercials, I was most interested in seeing the "G.I. Joe.: The Rise of Cobra" teaser. Growing up, I was a tremendous, tremendous fan of Joe. I had all the toys and all the episodes on VHS. "Knowing is half the battle." I'm still not sure if the "Joe" movie will live up to the decades of anticipation.
The preview seemed a little cartoonish. There's a great shot of Snake Eyes (everybody's favorite character) jumping over a tumbling car. However, I'm not convinced yet if "G.I. Joe" will be too kiddie for me to fully enjoy.
Take me back. Take me back to the '80s, when G.I. Joe was the baddest cartoon franchise of its day. "Thundercats," "Transformers," "He-Man" -- none of them could hang with the Joes and their myriad of characters (shout-out to Zartan and the evil twin brothers!). Or the story lines (Joes had a weather dominator, for goodness sakes!).
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