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KICK-ASS Post Release - Page 5

post #201 of 887
4/17/10 at 4:12am
Quote:
Originally Posted by devincf View Post
And this movie tackles the "escalation" concept better, and in a more fun way, than DARK KNIGHT.
Yes, and it does it without any kind of "the whole city is in peril" plot machinations, just a handful of characters in whom you're deeply emotionally invested. By the time it was leading up to the safehouse betrayal and subsequent torture I was really really worried about all the good guys and maybe even a little bit for Red Mist.

I fucking loved this movie.
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post #202 of 887
4/17/10 at 5:25am
Q: do they pay off the jump thing? He does jump twice, but there's not a third jump, is there?

I thought the film was fun, one of the best junk food films in a long while, and one of the best superhero films ever made (that said, the genre is mostly okay).
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post #203 of 887
4/17/10 at 6:28am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Andre Dellamorte View Post
Q: do they pay off the jump thing? He does jump twice, but there's not a third jump, is there?
I took the final final flight over the city - where Dave carries Hit Girl to the rooftop - to be the end to that little bit of business. It's Dave finally making the jump and joining Hit Girl on the other side.
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post #204 of 887
4/17/10 at 6:57am
I don't buy that, it's not thematically connected to him conquering his fear. It doesn't take away from the film, though.
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post #205 of 887
4/17/10 at 7:03am
Jesus, that shot where Hit Girl looks down at the cold Hot Chocolate made my heart ache.
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post #206 of 887
4/17/10 at 7:53am
Kevin Macken, The rocket to Frank D'Amico's gut, reminds me most of the end of...True Lies. Not the same, but similar.
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post #207 of 887
4/17/10 at 8:17am
I definitely want a...Kick-Ass Trilogy, ending in the wedding of...Kick-Ass, and Katie! I love a...Happy Ending! I wouldn't want...Aaron Johnson as Spider-Man though, As I would like to see more of him as...Kick-Ass!
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post #208 of 887
4/17/10 at 8:38am
I immediately thought of stories in my head for a sequel... And that's where they'll stay. There is no need for a sequel to this.

Besides... judging from the box office, it seems likely there won't be one.
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post #209 of 887
4/17/10 at 9:19am
Wow, did this tank at the box office. About 7.5 million for Friday and 20 million for the weekend. I guess people didn't want to see a little girl say the C word.

It's funny, though. I'm as Conservative as they come and I thought the hype about Hit Girl's language was worse than what's actually in the movie.
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post #210 of 887
4/17/10 at 9:29am
How did it tank exactly? I can't imagine they were expecting more than what Dre predicted in his box office forecast. Plus, it's got more days to earn dough from word of mouth and replays. It certainly could peter out after this weekend, sure. But maybe a little premature to call it tanked.
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post #211 of 887
4/17/10 at 9:36am
Jury's still out, w.o.m. may kick in and get butts in seats today or tomorrow but it doesn't look good. My theater was only half-full but the reaction was stellar. Who knows. R-rated superhero movies don't get the family money.
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post #212 of 887
4/17/10 at 9:44am
Yeah, mostly looking forward to see tonight's take than anything. Facebook and Twitter seem to have lit up overnight with people going apeshit for the film.
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post #213 of 887
4/17/10 at 10:08am
Alan "Nordling" Cerny, Blade performed well enough for there to be a...Blade II, and Blade II opened well enough, for there to be a...Blade Trinity, and a series, albiet one that ran for one season before it got...Spiked! Watchmen, made over...$100 million, so there is some hope, for higher box office returns of...Kick-Ass!
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post #214 of 887
4/17/10 at 10:27am
Quote:
Originally Posted by duke fleed View Post
Alan "Nordling" Cerny, Blade performed well enough for there to be a...Blade II, and Blade II opened well enough, for there to be a...Blade Trinity, and a series, albiet one that ran for one season before it got...Spiked! Watchmen, made over...$100 million, so there is some hope, for higher box office returns of...Kick-Ass!
Watchmen opened to 55 M. Blade opened to 17 M in 1998 which would adjust to 27 M today . Blade II opened to 32 M. Kick-Ass might not open above 20 M depending on how it does today.
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post #215 of 887
4/17/10 at 11:40am
Quote:
Originally Posted by duke fleed View Post
Alan "Nordling" Cerny, Blade performed well enough for there to be a...Blade II, and Blade II opened well enough, for there to be a...Blade Trinity, and a series, albiet one that ran for one season before it got...Spiked! Watchmen, made over...$100 million, so there is some hope, for higher box office returns of...Kick-Ass!
Watchmen made that much because Warner Bros know how to promote their movies, whereas Lionsgate clearly have no idea what they're doing.
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post #216 of 887
4/17/10 at 12:15pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Weasels Rip My Flesh View Post
Watchmen made that much because Warner Bros know how to promote their movies, whereas Lionsgate clearly have no idea what they're doing.
Watchmen has also sold millions more copies than Kick Ass. And had over 20 years to filter through the culture in various ways.

Kick Ass was never likely to be much more than a geek niche film. And it seems to be fairly successful on those grounds. If it gets to $50 to $60 million domestic that's a solid win.
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post #217 of 887
4/17/10 at 12:33pm
Thread Starter 
That's a solid win unless you're the company that put it out or the filmmaker who made it, since that wouldn't be a profitable amount of money to make.

KICK-ASS is tanking because Lionsgate can't open movies. They can open SAW and Tyler Perry films and those movies open themselves. Their campaign for KICK-ASS was MISERABLE. It looked like MYSTERY MEN, it looked goofy, the ads didn't get across the real nature of the film. It's going to be interesting to see if the really strong WOM makes a difference tonight or if this shit is finished.
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post #218 of 887
4/17/10 at 12:48pm
Would be nice to see an Advocate titled WHY LIONSGATE'S MARKETING DEPARTMENT SHOULD BE FIRED IMMEDIATELY.
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post #219 of 887
4/17/10 at 1:01pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by EvilTwin View Post
Watchmen has also sold millions more copies than Kick Ass. And had over 20 years to filter through the culture in various ways.

Kick Ass was never likely to be much more than a geek niche film. And it seems to be fairly successful on those grounds. If it gets to $50 to $60 million domestic that's a solid win.
You're probably overestimating Watchmen's cultural impact outside of geek circles - when the trailer hit before The Dark Knight people were scratching their heads, they thought it looked cool but they were utterly unaware of the property itself. The fact they thought it looked cool was because Warner Bros cut a good trailer together and positioned it before huge properties.

Regardless, how well the comics sell has little to do with how well the films perform - Lionsgate fucked up. Again.

I was surprised to hear the movie getting such a low turn out because when I saw it in the UK it was sold-out during an afternoon showing and the crowd loved it, crowds were lining up for the next showing too.

I do think the Daily Mail's handwringing must have helped sell some tickets over here, because the person selling the tickets kept talking about "the foul-mouthed child spectacular", although she could have been talking about Nanny McPhee.
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post #220 of 887
4/17/10 at 1:09pm
How would you guys have marketed the film?

Focus on Hit Girl and Big Daddy, since they were the best characters in the film and Moretz and Cage gave (by far, imo) the best performances?

Emphasize the action/shooting/violence?
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post #221 of 887
4/17/10 at 2:26pm
I don't know if marketing would have even made a difference. Focusing on Hit Girl isn't going to draw in a mainstream crowd. Female "action" heroes are never a big draw let along a little girl "action" hero.

Maybe if they'd cut a trailer in the vein of Watchmen or 300 (Zack Snyder syle) it could've opened above 30 M.
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post #222 of 887
4/17/10 at 2:43pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Weasels Rip My Flesh View Post
You're probably overestimating Watchmen's cultural impact outside of geek circles - when the trailer hit before The Dark Knight people were scratching their heads, they thought it looked cool but they were utterly unaware of the property itself. The fact they thought it looked cool was because Warner Bros cut a good trailer together and positioned it before huge properties.

Regardless, how well the comics sell has little to do with how well the films perform - Lionsgate fucked up. Again.
I'll just say that Watchmen has enough cultural penetration that I couldn't imagine any halfway decent version doing less than V for Vendetta money.

When you count foreign and video, Lionsgate will likely be in the black on this. Certainly, it's a lot better than The Spirit and Punisher. But, an R-rated movie based on a comic book than noone has read, with the biggest star obviously being a supporting character, a girl being the primary female character, and no big budget special effects for flashy commercials was obviously going to be a tough sell. I think the R-rating didn't help when the primary audience is teens. There was a reason that the bigger studios passed on this.
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post #223 of 887
4/17/10 at 2:58pm
The big studios can kiss my ass!

Saw it last night and still buzzing. Its a really fun movie and my audience ate it up. WOM will be very strong hopefully it will make a difference. Devin is spot on Lionsgate really screwed the pooch on this film marketing wise. My GF almost had to be dragged to this by me because the trailers and tv spots looked dumb to her. She really enjoyed it and thought the promotion didn't do the film justice at all.

Hit Girl was just wow amazing. I am curious about the LTROI remake now (wasn't before).

Everyone in my theater was ready for a sequel and I hope there is one. Vaughn is one talented SOB.
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post #224 of 887
4/17/10 at 3:05pm
There's a small part of me that wants to believe David died after being hit by the car, and the rest of the movie is how he would have wanted his life to play out.

1. The x-rays. "I'm like Wolverine!" Why would the hospital lay the x-rays out like that? It just plays like a scene of a kid playing pretend.

2. David had no scars on his body during the self-tanner scene. A healing factor, like Wolverine?

3. Big Daddy's "Batman" costume. Why the fuck would he dress almost exactly like Batman? Again, this plays like a kid playing make believe.

4. Chris becoming Red Mist. This adds a Wizard of Oz element to the story. Turning someone you know into a villian.

5. The jetpack. Just bugfuck insane. Like anyone telling a story, it just gets crazier as it goes.

6. The fact David's opening narration is told flying over clouds. Plus he tells us he might not have survived, like the dude in American Beauty.

I'm not saying this is what they intended, but it's an interesting approch to the movie in my opinion.
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post #225 of 887
4/17/10 at 3:10pm
I think you're grasping for straws.
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post #226 of 887
4/17/10 at 3:22pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Barkatthemoon View Post
There's a small part of me that wants to believe David died after being hit by the car, and the rest of the movie is how he would have wanted his life to play out.
I don't buy it as the movie's actual "intention," but that's a really fun reading.
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post #227 of 887
4/17/10 at 3:24pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by devincf View Post
He was imitating Adam West's Batman.
I got that, especially in his broken phrasing... which I also thought was probably a more practical, inventive, and plainly less retarded way of hiding one's identity than growling, a la Christian Bale.

It was the marble-mouthed quality of some of the line deliveries, from not just him but some of the other actors, that I found difficult to interpret. Especially if we're to believe the characters can actually understand what each other are saying.
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post #228 of 887
4/17/10 at 3:45pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Barkatthemoon View Post
There's a small part of me that wants to believe David died after being hit by the car, and the rest of the movie is how he would have wanted his life to play out.

1. The x-rays. "I'm like Wolverine!" Why would the hospital lay the x-rays out like that? It just plays like a scene of a kid playing pretend.

2. David had no scars on his body during the self-tanner scene. A healing factor, like Wolverine?

3. Big Daddy's "Batman" costume. Why the fuck would he dress almost exactly like Batman? Again, this plays like a kid playing make believe.

4. Chris becoming Red Mist. This adds a Wizard of Oz element to the story. Turning someone you know into a villian.

5. The jetpack. Just bugfuck insane. Like anyone telling a story, it just gets crazier as it goes.

6. The fact David's opening narration is told flying over clouds. Plus he tells us he might not have survived, like the dude in American Beauty.

I'm not saying this is what they intended, but it's an interesting approch to the movie in my opinion.
Why would Dave even fantasize about what other people were doing? And why would he imagine other people doing better than him? If the whole movie was from Dave's POV then I could buy this theory but when you factor in the multiple perspectives used, it just doesn't hold much water.
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post #229 of 887
4/17/10 at 3:49pm
Oh and that Scott Pilgrim trailer fell flat on its face with everyone in the theater laughing at the how corny it looked (the whole Tekken fight really missed the mark) and also hilarious how you could hear groans as soon as Michael Cera's face came on screen.

I love Edgar Wright but at first look with this trailer and the reaction wow this could be a bomb in all ways.
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post #230 of 887
4/17/10 at 3:55pm
Just an amazing experience. These days I can barely afford to see a movie once, but I may have to see this one again because God-Damn.

I would have to agree though that I too would've liked to have seen more Red Mist, only because I found his conflict so interesting. I mean, maybe I'm projecting, but did he want to be a superhero? Was he torn between wanting to impress his dad and earn his respect but at the same time wanting to live out the same comic book fantasies that Dave had?

I did like how pathetic the Kick Ass/Red Mist showdown was, with them both knocking each other out.

Also, as someone stated above about Vaughn laying out geography, he clearly established that dojo training room much earlier in the movie, thus making it come into the climax very smoothly. It's such a little thing, but its oh so important.

I was so drawn into this movie's world that I didn't even question the fact that an 11-year old girl was driving a car until much later.
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post #231 of 887
4/17/10 at 3:59pm
Syd, Well...It would be lame, if she had to...Hitchhike back to one of the safehouses, after she wipes the floor with mob goons!
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post #232 of 887
4/17/10 at 4:12pm
As per the "dead after accident" reading.... look, you can come up with any interpretation you want of films, but like any of these "the story changes here" readings, if it's not textually supported, then it's meaningless. Also, this version of the story suggests that Kick-Ass never achieves anything. Why would you want that reading of this film?
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post #233 of 887
4/17/10 at 4:23pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Barkatthemoon View Post
it's an interesting approch to the movie
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jeb View Post
that's a really fun reading.
Sorry, but no it's not. It's one of the most trite, played out fan-wank ways of interpreting a movie and looking for something that's not there. There's no strong support for it, no reason it should be the case, and adds nothing to the film. "It was all a dream/hallucination!" and "Character Y was imagined by Character X!" really need to go away as interpretations of films.

EDIT: Dre beat me to it
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post #234 of 887
4/17/10 at 4:28pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dan Benenson View Post
Sorry, but no it's not. It's one of the most trite, played out fan-wank ways of interpreting a movie and looking for something that's not there. There's no strong support for it, no reason it should be the case, and adds nothing to the film. "It was all a dream/hallucination!" and "Character Y was imagined by Character X!" really need to go away as interpretations of films.

EDIT: Dre beat me to it
Considering that I specifically rejected it as the film's intention, you seem to be attaching an awful lot of weight to my use of the word "fun."
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post #235 of 887
4/17/10 at 4:36pm
As far as box office- don't forget that this is an independent film. They already sold it to Lionsgate for more money than it cost to make.

On a funny note, my friend is waiting to watch the movie and just sent me a text saying that there's a three year old kid sitting next to her. I really can't wait to hear how that turns out.
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post #236 of 887
4/17/10 at 4:37pm
Just saw it. My favorite movie of the year so far. Simply amazing. Lots of parents with their 10 year old kids who clearly had no clue what kind of movie this was.
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post #237 of 887
4/17/10 at 4:37pm
Well I wasn't just talking to you, Jeb, but I'm saying filmmakers' intention or not it's not even a fun (or interesting, cool, clever, etc.) fan reading of a movie anymore - it's a boring one, because someone tries to apply it to every other movie released. And honestly, what's fun about it in this case specifically? As Dre suggested, it rather detracts from the film, or at best it adds nothing.
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post #238 of 887
4/17/10 at 4:44pm
Why is it most of these readings that require death or illusion leave the main character a loser? This, Minority Report, etc.
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post #239 of 887
4/17/10 at 4:48pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Andre Dellamorte View Post
Why is it most of these readings that require death or illusion leave the main character a loser? This, Minority Report, etc.
At the risk of prolonging this, it might be because most films don't posit their protagonists as losers, so the "alternative" reading night naturally take the opposite tack.

Or it might not be. To be honest, I haven't read that many.
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post #240 of 887
4/17/10 at 4:50pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Andre Dellamorte View Post
Why is it most of these readings that require death or illusion leave the main character a loser? This, Minority Report, etc.
Because some people read dark endings as better endings, regardless of whether they're true to the film or not.
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post #241 of 887
4/17/10 at 5:05pm
I liked it but didn't love it. KICK-ASS is probably the least interesting character in the film. But Nic "OOOHHHHH CHILD" Cage is two for his last two and Chloe Moretz deserves all the praise she's getting. She's convincingly tough and had really good comic timing. I thought the action scenes with a little girl and her stunt double would be goofy, but Vaughn really pulled it off.
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post #242 of 887
4/17/10 at 5:16pm
"The Mayor has a signal to contact us. It's in the shape of a cock."

LOVED this flick when we saw it yesterday. The theater was also not packed, and some people brought in their kids. Surprised they didn't leave when Dave was jerking off, like that large family that walked out of Watchmen last year because they thought it'd be a "safe" superhero movie.

The more I think about it, the more I actually wanted the movie to focus a lot more on Big Daddy and Hit Girl. Since they changed quite a bit from the comic, they should have let Big Daddy live. Although it's damn heartbreaking when he dies. Makes it sound like I don't appreciate Johnson as Kick-Ass, but I did. He carried the flick and was really hilarious.

"NOW SWITCH TO KRYTONNNIIIITTTTEEEE!!!!" should enter the lexicon of movie quotes people use from now on.
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post #243 of 887
4/17/10 at 5:20pm
When I finally watch The Blind Side, I'm going to view it as he dreams of becoming a football player as he slowly starves to death curled up in a cardboard box in an alley.

It's how I roll.
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post #244 of 887
4/17/10 at 5:27pm
Now there's one instance where I can get behind the dream interpretation
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post #245 of 887
4/17/10 at 5:34pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Alan "Nordling" Cerny View Post
Jury's still out, w.o.m. may kick in and get butts in seats today or tomorrow but it doesn't look good. My theater was only half-full but the reaction was stellar. Who knows. R-rated superhero movies don't get the family money.
I don't know, evidently Clover Stornetta and Welch's thought so.
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post #246 of 887
4/17/10 at 5:49pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by duke fleed View Post
I definitely want a...Kick-Ass Trilogy, ending in the wedding of...Kick-Ass, and Katie! I love a...Happy Ending! I wouldn't want...Aaron Johnson as Spider-Man though, As I would like to see more of him as...Kick-Ass!
Does it have to be one or the other?

Also, would it be fair to assume you got an extra special kick out of Cage's vocal performance?
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post #247 of 887
4/17/10 at 6:00pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Barkatthemoon View Post
When I finally watch The Blind Side, I'm going to view it as he dreams of becoming a football player as he slowly starves to death curled up in a cardboard box in an alley.

It's how I roll.
Yep, post of the week.
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post #248 of 887
4/17/10 at 7:27pm
That was fucking INCREDIBLE. The pacing is near-perfect (the goofiness in the car could've been cut a bit shorter, but that's about it), the action is GLORIOUS, and I'm still grinning when thinking about that sequel hook. Everybody else has listen reasons why I love it so much, so I won't belabor them here. But it's going to be hard to top this for "geek movie of the year", so Iron Man 2, Scott Pilgrim and Tron Legacy have a lot to live up to.
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post #249 of 887
4/17/10 at 7:43pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Chris Spider View Post
That was fucking INCREDIBLE. The pacing is near-perfect (the goofiness in the car could've been cut a bit shorter, but that's about it), the action is GLORIOUS, and I'm still grinning when thinking about that sequel hook. Everybody else has listen reasons why I love it so much, so I won't belabor them here. But it's going to be hard to top this for "geek movie of the year", so Iron Man 2, Scott Pilgrim and Tron Legacy have a lot to live up to.
Just want to echo the love. Just back from seeing it in a theater about half full. There was applause in the right places, and laughter throughout. I am definatley seeing again.

Hit Girl instantly became one of my favortie movie characters. She was amazing.
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post #250 of 887
4/17/10 at 7:47pm
Great seeing Xander Berkley as Gigante. Was wondering if he'd play a slimey villain again.
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