Showing posts with label movies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label movies. Show all posts

Rendition

    Last night I watched a movie called Rendition.  Lindsey picked it up at Wal-Mart in the $5 bin the other day.  Oddly enough, she fell asleep two minutes into the film.  It was pretty good, it started out a little slow, but then picked up midway through.  Unfortunately, it tried to have a cool twist, but kind of screwed it up.  There will be spoilers in this post.  So if you have not seen the movie, you might want to stop reading.

    The movie is about a CIA practice called extraordinary rendition, where they can basically take someone they think is a terrorist and secretly ship them another country and most likely torture them.  Apparently the movie was based on a few true cases.

    The film starts out with a bombing in a North African country, where a CIA agent is killed.  The government then takes Egyptian-American Anwar El-Ibrihimi when he lands in the United States (coming from South Africa) and ships him to the country of the bombing.  Once there he is tortured about his involvement.  He is told that he received phone calls from the terrorist.

    While this is happening, his wife back in the United States is trying to find out what happened to him.  She has a friend in Washington D.C., who works for a senator.  She is informed about the extraordinary rendition and that there is nothing her friend can do for her. 

    At one point, Anwar finally admits to the crimes and he gives up the names of his terrorist buddies.  Jake Gyllenhaal does not believe Anwar is telling the truth.  He realizes that torturing someone is a terrible idea.  He investigates the names and finds out that they are just the names of kids Anwar played soccer with when he lived in Egypt.  Jake decides to help release Anwar and basically quit the CIA, later he is seen contacting the press.

    There is another story at the same time about the minister of the interior's daughter and how she ran away with this boy.  The minister is the guy doing the torturing.  We then learn that her boyfriend is actually a terrorist and is planning on blowing himself up.  Then comes the twist:  he was the bomber at the beginning of the film.  And the girl that tried to stop him (the minister watches a video of the bombing) is actually the minister's daughter!

    The movie makes you think that the boy is going to blow something up while Jake is releasing Anwar.  The reason the minister is not there to prevent the release is because he is looking for his daughter.  You think that he will die, but then you figure out that the boy was the bomber.  As does the minister.

    Honestly, it was a pretty good twist, but it was somewhat predictable.  I mean, I knew once Anwar confessed that Jake would find a way to get him out of the prison.  I think it would have been cooler had Jake figured out that Anwar was innocent and went back to release him, but instead found that he accidentally died in the jail.  It would have been much more of an anti-torture message.

    Oh well.  I guess this is what you get from the guy who directed X-Men Origins:  Wolverine.  If you like a spy movie or anti-war movies, then you should check it out.

    Also, the guy who plays Khalid (the bomber) looks like the Middle Eastern (I apologize if Moa Khouas is not actually Middle Eastern) James Franco.  To the right is Moa, and below is Franco.



Sports Greatness: Baseball Edition Part Two

    A few months ago I did a post about the National League, today I will discuss the American League.  For a reminder, this is the first thought that pops into my head when I think about a team.  Could be a player, or moment.

    New York Yankees
    Mickey Mantle.  I know, it is the Yankees and there are about 1200 things that could pop into your head and you could make a strong argument for all of them.  However, when I was a kid, a relative of mine had a Mickey Mantle baseball card (not his rookie card, but like his fourth or fifth year card) and it was worth a few grand.  I always hoped to somehow go through a family members attic and find Mantle's rookie card, which when I was a kid was worth something like $40,000. 

    I read before that Mantle hit some of the longest home runs in the history of baseball.  Granted, the figures were not as accurate as today, but still pretty damn impressive.  Also, check out his stats.  

    Plus, I loved the movie 61* and the way you see how Mantle abused his body by going out partying every night. 

    Boston Red Sox
    Another team with so many great moments.  Before last year, I would probably have mentioned two things:  the come back against the Yankees or them trying to trade for Alex Rodriguez (and then crying when the Yankees got him).  Fortunately, last year had this moment, which will always be the first thing I think of when I heard Red Sox.
    Baltimore Orioles
    I went to a game at Camden Yard back in 1999, which honestly should be the first thing that comes to mind, however that is not the case.  I always remember the trivia question "Name the four 20-game winners for Orioles in 1971."  Actually, I never can remember the answer.  I usually get three of them (oddly enough, not always the same three).  The answer is:
    Mike Cuellar
    Pat Dobson
    Jim Palmer
    Dave McNally

    Seriously, this is a fun bar trivia question to ask someone older who is a baseball fan.  If you can remember the answer, they are impressed.

    Toronto Blue Jays
    Joe Carter...

    Suck it Philly!!!

    Tampa Bay Rays
    I like Evan Longoria.  Seriously, I wish the Pirates had a player like him (to be fair, they have McCutchen, he is like Longoria--I wish Pedro was like Evan).  He is a fantastic player and he just seems so damn cool.  Yeah, I think I have a man-crush on him.  Whatever, deal with it.

    Fun fact:  when he came into the league, I thought he was the sister of actress Eva Longoria.  Nope, they are not related.

    Minnesota Twins
    I will always remember the Twins beating the Atlanta Braves in the 1991 World Series.  The Braves beat the Pirates in '91 NLCS in seven games, but not nearly as dramatic as the 1992 series.  I hated the stupid braves and was so happy to see the Twins win the game.
     
    Detroit Tigers
    C'mon, when people talk about crazy things players do nowadays, I like to point out Ty Cobb.  This guy did all of the insane things people hate back in the 1900s.  He sat out games to win a batting title (and do not worry, apparently Nap Lajoie had a bunch of bunt singles to try and beat Cobb, and since the opposing team hated Cobb, they played their third baseman deep).  He beat up fans, he was considered a jerk by all his peers.

    He also set most of the records for a hitter and still has the highest career average.  And he held the AL record for total bases in a game until the other night when Josh Hamilton broke it.  Why did he have that record?  He wanted to prove that hitting home runs was not that hard and if he wanted to, he could hit more than Babe Ruth.  Instead, he liked hitting for a high average.

    Hell, just look at that slide/flying jump kick...

    Chicago White Sox
    Speaking of old time players.  I was fascinated by the Black Sox Scandal of 1919 when I was a kid.  I could not read enough about it.  I always thought that Shoeless Joe Jackson got a raw deal.  I mean, just look at his stats from that series.  Does it really look like he was not trying?

    Cleveland Indians
    When you mention the Indians, how can you not think of the film Major League?  Hell, this clip pretty much sums up how you feel when you watch a Pirates game.



    Also, I was at an Indian's game a few years ago at Jacobs Field.  Unfortunately, I do not remember much of the game.

    Kansas City Royals
    If there is a team that is as pathetic as the Pirates, it is the Royals.  And just imagine if you allowed them to play...yep, it was as bad as it sounds.  Just check out WHYGAVS liveblog of one of their games.  I recommend reading the whole thing and the comments with it.

    I remember reading it while the game was happening and almost pissing myself laughing.  Back before the days of twitter...

    Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
    That should be my memory.  The number of times they have changed the name.  Los Angeles Angels, Anaheim Angels, California Angels...whatever, we get it.

    I will always associate Jim Abbott with the Angels.  Dude was born with one hand and still became a major league pitcher.  Yeah, makes you feel good about your life.

    Plus, if I remember correctly, he was one of those guys who made the majors without spending a day in the minors.

    Texas Rangers
    Josh Hamilton.  I hope he signs a long-term contract with them.  He is the positive story we all love to hear in sports.  I think you all know it by now.  Oh, did I mention that the dude can absolutely destroy a baseball?

    Oakland Athletics
    The Bash Brothers!  Jose Canseco and Mark McGwire.  Huh, who would have guessed they were slightly juiced up...

    Seattle Mariners
    I think about all the really good players they have had at one point and yet they never won a World Series.  They won 116 games back in 2001.

    Alex Rodriguez, Ken Griffey Jr., Ichiro, Randy Johnson, Jaime Moyer, John Olerud, and Jay Buhner all played for this team (not all at the same time).  Just crazy when you think about it.  Imagine if they had kept A-Rod and Griffey (maybe he stays healthy in Seattle)...

    Anyways, those are my thoughts.  Soon I will move to a different sport.  Leave your own thoughts/memories/players in the comments.

The Avengers

    All of the Marvel movies had been leading up to this one.  It all started way back with the first Iron Man movie, then the Hulk.  The after credits scenes hinted that this movie would come.  People complained because the second Iron Man movie was more of an advertisement for Thor than anything else.  Then Thor and Captain America were released, and the idea of there being one movie with all of them seemed to be more realistic than ever.

    Unfortunately, I had some reservations about it.  I mean, how could they really put this many characters together and make it work?  The previews looked really good, and the one with Tony Stark saying "we have a Hulk" was great.  Needless to say, my excitement for the movie started to amp up over the winter, and I was only worried about being somewhat letdown.

    Fortunately, Joss Whedon not only lived up to expectations, but he surpassed them.  The movie was pretty damn good and I am happy to see that it had the biggest opening of all time.  I just wish DC would pay attention (or just allow Marvel handle their movie projects). 

    The movie started pretty quickly with Loki stealing the Tesseract and then a pretty funny scene with Black Widow, which ends with her beating up some Russians.  The team is assembled fairly easily and we get a nice battle between Iron Man and Thor, with Captain America jumping in the middle and an amazing scene of Thor's hammer versus Cap's shield.

    The only slow part came after the death of Coulson and the team splitting apart.  It seemed like that half hour was the slow point of the movie and I really thought that it may end with a cliffhanger.  Maybe the Chitauri would attack the city and pretty much have beaten each hero individually.  Actually, that would have been pretty cool.  It could have ended on a moment where the world is being conquered and Captain America calls out through secure lines "Avengers assemble!"  And then boom, end movie.

    Instead, the team comes together pretty quickly and saves the day.  Do not get me wrong, it was pretty badass.  I loved the way Banner tells the group that his biggest secret is that he is always angry.  The Hulk destroying that flying monster was great and when he and Thor take down another one and then Hulk just punches Thor was pretty damn hilarious.

    I do want to mention that Hawkeye was pretty much how I imagined.  I am glad they did not go with his traditional costume and instead used a black suit.  I think everyone was wrong about the majority of the fight scenes involving the three human characters.  I did not feel like they were chewing up the screen time to save money on CGI, did anyone else?

    The first post-credit scene showed Thanos finding out that the humans put up a good fight.  If I remember correctly, Thanos has a thing for death.  He will want to come to Earth to give Death a gift.  I just wonder if this will be more of the plot of the next Iron Man movie?  Also, will the next Thor movie have something to do with this, or just be separate?  I am excited for the future.
    I think Maria Hill will end up dating Captain America...

    My favorite line from the movie was probably when Captain America is about to jump out of the plane to go after Iron Man and Thor, Black Widow yells "Captain, that is a god you are going after."  Cap responds "There is only god ma'am, and these guys ain't him."  I am obviously paraphrasing here, but I just love the way Chris Evans pulls off those lines of a guy still from the 1940s.

    I would also like to note that Mark Ruffalo was fantastic as Bruce Banner.  He had that nervous, quiet, shy quality that Banner needs.  I also thought his reference to the Hulk as the other guy was pretty cool.  The banter between Banner and Stark were cool, I loved the way Stark was trying to push him to accept the Hulk.  Actually, I enjoyed all the banter between the different characters.

    Let me know what you thought of the movie.

    Comic Book Movie Grade:  A

Romans Are Jerks!



    Such an appropriate video for the times we live in...

New Avengers Trailer



    Is it May 4th yet?

Amazing Spider-Man Preview



    I have not posted about this movie yet.  I still think rebooting the franchise is rather stupid, I think you could continue with different actors, but whatever.  It does not look terrible, is that a compliment?

Groundhog Day

    I just discovered that I have never posted anything about this idiotic holiday.  And, since everyone in the universe is posting videos from one of my favorite movies, I figured I better jump in...but instead of the same clips as everyone else, I went with one of my favorite scenes:

After Big Whiskey...

    This is something new I plan on doing every so often.  I will take a movie and write about where they are nowadays.  No, not the actual actors, but the characters.  My blog, my idiotic ideas.

    Unforgiven
    One of my all-time favorite movies.  I think most of you know the premise, well I was wondering what happened after that night at Greely's Bar.  Time for some hard-hitting investigative journalism...or a bunch of made-up stuff.

    William Munny
    He moved his kids out to San Francisco, where they did very well in dried goods.  Whatever the hell that means.  He actually ran into Wyatt Earp in 1902.  Earp knew exactly who Munny was, but unfortunately, the two men were way too old to get into anything.  Earp just let Munny go and they spoke about the fates of a bunch of lawmen and villains they both knew.

    Munny died in 1905, at the age of 92.  After that night in Big Whiskey, he never touched alcohol again and he never killed anyone again.

    Schoefield Kid
    He got those spectacles and never had to worry about not being able to see.  The funny thing was that with those glasses, he was actually a remarkable shot, but he became a devout Catholic and never even raised his hand against another man.


    Remember Little Sue?  Well after everything happened, she left Big Whiskey and on her way east, she actually ran into the Schoefield Kid.  They traveled together and eventually got married.  They moved to Boston, where the Kid (going by Trevor Darrow) practiced law for nearly fifty years. 


    Trevor and Sue had three kids and lived happily ever after.

    English Bob
    Things did not go so well for English Bob.  After the beating he took from Little Bill, he decided to return to England.

    Unfortunately, he was not well liked in England either.  In fact, the whole reason he was in America to begin with:  he was wanted for murder.  Yeah, he shot a guy in the back when he was 17 years old and fled to America.

    Needless to say, someone recognized him and turned him over to Scotland Yard (it is rumored that the man who arrested him was Inspector Lestrade with help from someone in the private sector).  English Bob was then executed after a very quick trial.  The family of the murdered man was quite pleased.

    Delilah Fitzgerald
    The whore who was cut up.  She actually was inspired by the kind words of William Munny and decided to step-up and do something with her life.  With Little Bill dead, there was a void in the county's power structure.

    She decided to fill that void.  No, she did not become the new sheriff.  Instead she ran for mayor of Big Whiskey and actually won.  People feared that Munny would return if they went against her.  She was the first female mayor in Wyoming history.

    She was also a major player in the Women's Suffrage Movement.

    Charley Hecker
    He was the only deputy to survive Will's rampage.  After the whole thing ended, he was the new sheriff of Big Whiskey.  Until the following election in November.

    Oddly enough though, he won the election.  He did things differently than Little Bill.  He and newly elected mayor Delilah decided to outlaw prostitution, which helped reduce crime.  Also, it helped to reduce the population, since the 12 prostitutes decided to move elsewhere.

    He died in a gunfight about eight years later.

    W.W. Beauchamp
    He continued his travels looking for folks to interview.  He made his way up to South Dakota and ended up finding a place that kept him frozen in time.  He was later thawed out and given a job at a warehouse.

    William Munny Jr.
    Will sent both of his children to school in San Francisco.  Will Jr. eventually went to school back east and received a degree from Yale.  He returned to San Francisco and took over his father's business.  Within a few years he turned into the largest import/export companies on the west coast.

    He eventually became the third richest man in America.  His company became one of the first multinational conglomerates.  He ended up having a falling out with some of his Skull & Bones friends and decided to stop giving money to Yale. 

    He helped fund a new school in the west coast:  Stanford.  That is why, to this day, the Stanford library is known as the Billy Munny Library. 

    One of the things he did purchase was a giant pig farm, where he visited once a year and rumor has it, delighted in watching those damned pigs get slaughtered...

Oscar Pool

    I am little irritated that Yahoo does not have an Oscar pool that you can make into a private group. 

    So, if you want to compete against me this year, just head here.  The group name is Ngewo's World and the password is joshcroyle.  Should be easy enough, right?  The winner will get my undying respect. 


Chronicle Preview

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows

    Lindsey and I went to see this the other night (she only fell asleep for like a minute, so proud of her!) and I must say that I was quite pleased with it.  All the good things about the first one were in this one. 

    I love the deduction process he uses during fight scenes.  I especially loved it at the end when he fought Professor Moriarty, when both characters are laying out the way the fight will go.

    I feel like this plot (Professor Moriarty trying to start a massive world war) was the plot for League of Extraordinary Gentleman.  Any Holmes fans out there know if that was something Moriarty planned to do in the book?  From what I can tell that was never really what he was up to.

    Also, I have one complaint:  the scene where Holmes tosses Mary out of the train.  I am pretty sure someone would be severely hurt if they got thrown out of a train into a body of water.  I guess that is not too bad though if that is my only complaint.

    I recommend going to see it if you have not already done so. 

2012: The End is Here

    As some of you are probably aware, this is pretty much the end of the world.  Yes, 2012 is here and with this year marks the end.  Obviously if you watch anything on television they have told you about all this stuff, right?

    Anyways, throughout the year I plan on writing as much as I can about the idiocy of these people who believe in this crap.  I know, I should not give it any attention, but the way people misconstrue things to fit this idea cracks me up.  Neither here nor there though. 

    The sad thing about the whole 2012 thing is the way gullible people just buy into it.  This kid at work argued with me up and down about how it was going to happen because scientists said so on the History Channel.  He thinks it will be massive earthquakes and all of civilization will collapse.

    I tried to explain to him that the Mayans did not really predict the end of the world, just the end of the cycle, like when your calendar runs out and you need a new one.  He did not get it.  Also, he thinks aliens are constantly attacking the planet, so he is more or less a moron.  But hey, at least he is stocking up on bottled water...

    Here is another scary thought:  how many people are taking this sort of thing into consideration when they vote for president?  Maybe people think Mitt Romney looks like the kind of guy who could lead during the end of the world.

The Dark Knight Rises Trailer

    I know this has been around everywhere, but c'mon, did you really think I was going to fail to post it for your enjoyment?

The Hobbit Trailer



    "What is a Bagginses? My precious"  Gave me fuckin' chills man...

Dark Tower Casting: Eddie Dean

    I was watching A Gifted Man, okay not really watching it, but the TV was on and it came on.  I never saw the show before, but then this character came on and he reminded me of Eddie Dean from The Dark Tower series. 

    This got me thinking, I should do a casting for the Dark Tower, especially since the movie/show is still in talks.  When I read the books, I always pictured Kevin Corrigan as Eddie.  His performance in the crappy show, Grounded for Life made me think of Eddie or vice versa.  Sarcastic and silly, always on the verge of driving a serious person insane.

    I thought he would be perfect, especially since he was from the Bronx, had the accent and whatnot.  Unfortunately, as time went on, he started to look really old.  I highly doubt he could pull off a 21 year old.

    Anyways, the guy I saw tonight could pull it off.  Plus, he is pretty much a no name.  Seriously, who the hell has heard of Rhys Coiro?  He is not so young either, 32, but I think he would have a better chance to pull it off than someone younger.  I do remember him from 24, well vaguely. 

    For those of you who are fans of the series, let me know what you think.  Who should play Eddie?  Think about this, do you want Shia Lebouf trying to battle Blaine the Monorail?  Do you want Casey Affleck reciting the Gunslingers mantra?  Every actor suggested is either some pretty boy, or someone ridiculous.  I do like Aaron Paul (Jesse from Breaking Bad), but would he really want to play another addict?

    I think this is a pretty good drawing of Eddie...

The Fifth of November

     I figure this was somewhat appropriate.  Obviously this country could probably do with a little help from someone like V.  Or not, depending on what you believe.  Although, the more we allow religious groups interfere with politics, it will not be long until we see signs like this one:

    Believing in God will help this country though these difficult times...at least God was nice enough to give us this awesomeness today!






Wheel of Time Casting: The Guys

    This one should make the ladies happy.  Again, this is not all the major guys from the books, but instead just some of the major guys.  I did not include any of the White Cloaks yet because I plan on doing them and some others together.  Also, I am sure at some point more characters will be introduced, so whatever. 

    Tam al'Thor
    Rand's father during the first few books.  Although as he travels about the world, we start to get the hint that this might not be the truth.  Then we learn that he was adopted by Tam.  The man seems like a simple shepherd at the beginning, but then we find out that he possesses a heron-marked blade, which means he is a blade-master.

    Also, he ran away as a young man and joined the army and became a blade-master.  This is a good thing for Rand because the Flame/Void trick he teaches Rand, which helps Rand focus during archery and other tasks (like sword play), also helps him focus saidin.

    We need a bigger guy, who plays the kind of quiet, gruff, but also very likeable father.  He needs to be believable as a farmer, but also as a warrior.  He needs to be good looking enough that all the ladies of the Two Rivers want to play match-maker for him.  How about Nathan Fillion?  That dude is just so damn cool.  Let him grow a beard and he would be perfect (he should probably just be in every movie at this point).

    Gawyn Trakand
    The brother of Elayne.  He is supposed to be her protector and whatnot.  He is also in love with Egwene (and she with him).  He looks a good bit like his sister and he is a pretty damn good swordsman.

    During the White Tower problems, when they oust Siuan, he kills a couple Warders (his teacher actually) and forms a small army called the Younglings.  I also remember him as the cocky kid who finds Rand at the palace and keeps cracking jokes about him.

    I figured Alexander Ludwig would be a pretty good choice to play Gawyn.  He has the looks and in some of the movies I have seen, he has the cocky/brash attitude.

    Galad Damodred
    You cannot mention Gawyn without talking about his half-brother Galad.  Actually, Galad is also Rand's half-brother, and the two look a little bit alike.  Here is really all you need to know about Galad:  women think he is sexy.  I mean every woman out there.  He and Gawyn practice without shirts and all the Aes Sedai stop and watch him.  He has a thing for Egwene, but she does not have a thing for him.

    Later he joins the White Cloaks and almost has his mind blown when he finds Elayne and Nynaeve.  Apparently he will always do the right thing.  To the point of idiocy.  He swears to get his half-sister back to Andor, but he also swore to bring in any Aes Sedai...this kind of thing can make his head explode.

    Anyways, when you think of a sexy guy out there, who do you picture?  How about Paul Walker?  Plus, some people claim he looks like my pick for Rand.
    Gareth Bryne
    One of the greatest generals in the world.  He was the leader of the Andoran armies, but then when Rahvin came into Morgase's life, she pushed him away and banished him out of Caemlyn.

    During his banishment, he runs in Siuan and follows her to Salidar, where the rebel Aes Sedai convince him to build and lead an army against Tar Valon. 

    I picture him as a stoic individual, with a great mustache or goatee.  Who better than Tom Selleck?  Plus, have you seen him in Las Vegas?  He could definitely pull off that smug, know it all, who torments Siuan.

    Thom Merrilin
    This guy shows up in the Two Rivers as a gleeman.  He is basically an entertainer who will perform during the festival and then leave town.

    He gets caught up with Rand and the gang and never looks back.  We later learn that he was a court bard in Andor and used to sleep with Morgase.  He pretty much teaches Rand a ton of cool things and even saves his life by taking on a Half-man.

    Nowadays he is seen most of the time with Elayne and Nynaeve.  He is also good friends with Mat, who likes to play Stones with him since Mat's luck skills have no effect on the game.  So who could play a character like Thom?  Someone with a huge personality and an awesome mustache?  People always mention Sam Elliot, but he is a bit too old. 

    Fortunately, I have a person who would make the role come alive.  When it comes to eccentric, go no further than everyone's favorite nutjob:  Nic Cage!  Let him take a year and grow out the mustache and he would be perfect.

    Juilin Sandar
    A simple thief-catcher from Tear.  At first he betrays Elayne and Nynaeve to the Black Ajah and they are imprisoned in the Stone of Tear.  He then helps Mat break in and rescue them.

    After that he is pretty much by those two ladies side, along with Thom, for many adventures.  Where Thom is great at getting information through nobles and the higher ups, Juilin is able to find things out from the dregs of society.

    The people of Tear are described as having darker skin/darker eyes.  I just kept picturing him as Sayid from Lost.  Naveen Andrews would be pretty awesome, especially since we know he can play a pretty bad-ass individual.

    Mazrim Taim
    A man who can channel.  He has been causing trouble for years, but recently called himself the Dragon Reborn.  He was captured by Aes Sedai, but he escaped before they could gentle him.  He then heard about Rand's amnesty to men who could channel and decided to join him.

    He knows how to do plenty of stuff, since he has been channeling for awhile and has yet to go crazy.  He is able to copy something Rand does after only seeing it once.  Rand has him teach the Black Tower men, even though Rand knows there is something off about Taim and that he cannot be trusted.

    They describe him as skinny and with a little of an attitude about him.  I kind of picture him to talk a bit like Scar from The Lion King.  Every site I found says that Jason Isaacs should play him (I am guessing that Taim turns out to be a bad guy at some point, since people are not usually creative).  However, I picture Willem Dafoe.  He is a fantastic actor, and he would easily pull off that not-so-trusting guy that is trying to help you role.  I mean, just look at the guy!

    Logain Ablar
    The monster we hear about in the first book who claimed to be the Dragon Reborn.  He is captured and gentled by the Aes Sedai.  He pretty much disappears until all the crap happens with Siuan.  When they escape the Tower, they bring him along.

    He believes he will get his revenge, but instead Siuan uses him to convince other Aes Sedai that Elaida and the Red Ajah set him up at the Dragon Reborn in order to further their own agenda.  Most of the time he seems depressed and pretty out of it.   Fortunately, every time Min looks at him, she sees great things in his future.

    Eventually, Nynaeve cures him of being gentled and heals him back to his normal strength.  She is the first person to ever do such a thing.  Egwene later helps him escape and tells him to go to Rand.  I am hoping/guessing that eventually he will square off with Mazrim Taim.

    He is described as a big guy, and very king-like.  I picture Eric Bana every single time I read a chapter with him.  Think of Bana from Troy.

    Masema Dagar
    Speaking of a guy helping Rand.  How about our good buddy Masema?  Funny story, remember how in the first couple books the armies of Shienar are all badass and whatnot.  Then after awhile, you never really hear much about them again.  There was one soldier who pretty much hated Rand, especially when they were searching for the Horn, his name was Masema.  He thought it was bullshit that Rand was named the second in command and all that jazz.

    After Falme, Masema realizes that Rand is the Dragon Reborn and declares himself a loyal servant.  Well, at some point Moraine sends the soldiers in search of someone and Masema starts calling himself the Prophet of the Dragon Reborn.  From there, shit gets kind of screwy.

    He collects people to him like crazy and pretty much causes chaos wherever he goes.  At some point, Rand will have to send someone to deal with this lunatic.  Who could play a tough soldier, who might be a bit insane?  Christian Bale.  No question.  I can see him now screaming at a queen about her style of dress, using his cool Batman voice...

    Uno
    Honestly, this guy is such a minor character, but he is great comic relief.  I get the feeling that he is an old soldier, with his eye-patch and scars.  He eventually helps Nynaeve and Elayne escape somewhere and make it to Salidar.  I think he is in Gareth Bryne's army nowadays.

    I like Michael Keaton.  I think he could pull off the old soldier thing and the funny, trying not to swear around the ladies part.  Whatever, these are my choices, live with it.  And it would be great uniting all the Batman actors together.  I just need Val Kilmer and Adam West...

    Abell Cauthon
    Mat's dad.  Not much to really say about the guy.  He is basically a background character who helps Tam during the Two Rivers wars against the Trollocs.  Mat mentions that he is great with a quarter-staff.

    I figured you need someone who is a bit of a smart-ass to play Mat's father.  How about Ty Burrell, do you remember him from Dawn of the Dead?  He was pretty funny.  Again, this is another one that you just have to accept from me.

    Padan Fain
    The peddler who shows up at the beginning and turns out to be a Darkfriend.  Then we learn that things went very wrong for him in life.  He ends up becoming something of pure evil.  I do not even think he has any loyalty to the Dark One anymore, since he likes to kill Fades for fun.

    He has one goal and that is to kill Rand and everyone he loves.  He is absolutely insane.  He is described as having a big nose and being a pretty ugly fellow.  He is tall and lanky (I think).  I personally think Adrian Brody should probably play him.  Basically because of the nose thing.


    Davrim Bashere
    Faile's father and another of those great generals.  He has not really played a major part so far except to offer Rand advice.  I do know that he is described as kind of short, but I did not take that into consideration.  I figured since I went with Middle Eastern for Faile, I should probably do so for her father.

    To be perfectly honest, no one really came to mind.  I found this picture of Faran Tahir and figured he could pull the role off, but I am not really all that pleased with it.  Maybe someone else has a better suggestion.

    Lews Therin Telamon
    The original Dragon.  The guy that went crazy and broke the world.  The most powerful Aes Sedai ever.  Remember how when I described some of the Foresaken, they turned to the Dark One out of jealous and because they were tired of playing second fiddle to Lews?

    Unfortunately, minus flashbacksWwe are only going to hear his voice in Rand's head most of the time.  And at times that voice needs to sound like a completely insane person.  So, what actor out there could pull off such an awesome role?  What guy is good looking enough to cause guys like George Clooney and Daniel Craig to be pissed off?  Is there really a question here?  Brad Pitt would knock this one out of the park.
    Alright, that is it for this round.  Like I said, there will probably be some more at some point.  Still plenty of characters I have omitted.  Next time it will probably be Aes Sedai.  Should be fun (mostly hot girls!).  As always the drawings after the jump are brought to you by Seamassketches.