In a multi-part series, Comic Book Film Editor William Gatevackes will be tracing the history of comic book movies from the earliest days of the film serials to today’s big blockbusters and beyond. Along with the history lesson, Bill will be covering some of the most prominent comic book films over the years and why they were so special. This time, we continue our four week “vacation” overseas with the most notable comic film franchises Europe has to offer.

This month, not counting serials, Batman will be getting his ninth full length feature film.

Piker.

Next year, Superman will be getting his seventh full length feature film.

Slacker.

The French comic book character Asterix has had 11 feature films to his name, both live action and animated. But before we get to the Gallic warrior, let’s talk about one of last year’s most talked about imported comic book films.

The Adventures of Tintin: Secret of the Unicorn was one of the most visually stunning films of last year, as any film written by Steven Moffat, Edgar Wright and Joe Cornish, directed by Steven Spielberg and produced by Peter Jackson would be.

As flashy as it was, the performance capture film (where computers animated their digital characters over the real actors wearing computer sensors) did not do well in the United States, although its almost $373 million overseas take pretty much guarantees that the two planned sequels will get made. However, this mix of computer animation and live action was not the first animated or live-action Tintin film to hit the big screen.

Tintin was created by Belgian artist, Hergé (aka Georges Remi), in 1929 and he remained the sole writer and artist on the strip up until his death in 1983. The character is a Belgian reporter whose quest for stories takes him around the world and involves him in a number of hair-raising adventures, aided by his dog Snowy and his friend, Captain Haddock.

The character made his first appearance on film in 1947’s stop-motion animation Belgian offering, The Crab with the Golden Claws, adapted from the ninth book of the 24-book graphic novel series.  Other animated films would follow—1969’s Tintin and the Temple of the Sun and 1972’s Tintin and the Lake of Sharks. Tintin would also receive two live action adaptations as well—1961’s French film, Tintin and the Golden Fleece and 1964’s French/Spanish production Tintin and the Blue Oranges.

The Smurfs were another Belgian import to arrive in American theaters last year with the help of CGI. Only this time, just the Smurfs themselves were computer animated, voiced by such celebrities as Jonathan Winters, Katy Perry and Alan Cumming, as they shared the screen with human actors such as Neil Patrick Harris and Jayma Mays. The 3D film opened to horrible reviews (it’s currently only 23% fresh at Rotten Tomatoes) but that wasn’t enough to keep it from being a hit. The$110 million  film made over $563 million worldwide. That was enough so that not one but two sequels were greenlighted. The Smurfs 2 is scheduled for a July 31, 2013 release and The Smurfs 3 is planned for July 24, 2015. The main cast is set to return for both sequels.

But this wasn’t the first time Peyo’s (nee Pierre Culliford) 1958 creations have hit the big screen. The blue creatures have also graced the screen in 1965’s Belgian compilation, The Adventures of the Smurfs and in The Smurfs and the Magic Flute, a film made and released in Belgium in 1976, yet not released in the U.S. until 1983.

Asterix has not had any Americanized adaptations—yet —but its 11 films mean that it’s enormously popular in Europe. Created for Pilote magazine in 1959 by writer René Goscinny and illustrator Albert Uderzo, the character’s 34 volumes of graphic novels have been translated into over 107 languages, selling more than 325 million copies worldwide.

The story takes place in a small coastal village called Armorica of Gaul (present day France) circa 50 BC. The village is able to stave off being engulfed by the Roman Empire due to a magic potion brewed by a local druid that gives them temporary superhuman strength. Asterix is the leader of the village, and his sidekick is a manchild named Obelix, whose super strength is permanent due to his falling into a cauldron of the potion as a youngster.

Of the 11 Asterix films, eight have been animated and 3 have been live action. The animated films are Asterix the Gaul (1967), Asterix and Cleopatra (1968), The Twelve Tasks of Asterix (1976), Asterix Versus Caesar (1985), Asterix in Britain (1986), Asterix and the Big Fight  (1989), Asterix Conquers America (1994) and  Asterix and the Vikings (2006).  The live action films include Asterix & Obelix Take On Caesar (1999), Asterix & Obelix: Mission Cleopatra (2002) and Asterix at the Olympic Games (2006). Oscar-nominated actor Gérard Depardieu has appeared as Obelix in all three live action films. Other guest stars include Oscar winner Roberto Benigni and Monica Bellucci.

Next, we take a look at the live action franchises from Japan, then tackle some heroes on the half-shell.

1.Tower Heist (Universal, @3,200 Theaters, 104 Minutes, Rated PG-13): The buzz about this film should be about two comedy icons who help define film comedy in two different decades–Eddie Murphy from the 1980s and Ben Stiller from the 1990s–coming together on screen for the first time. Or it should about the plot, about a bunch of laid off workers planning to steal from the fat cat that cost them their jobs, a plot made even more relevant by the themes of the “Occupy (Insert City)” protests. In other words, buzz that would get people in the seats.

However, the thing about the movie that got the most press, here and at other film sites, is the plan from Universal to release the film on Video on Demand three weeks from now, Cinemark reponding to the news by dropping the film, other independent theater owners joining suit, causing Universal to scrap the idea.

The controversy made for an interesting story. I mean, it’s a crap shoot to tell if people will spend $10 on a Stiller or Murphy film, let alone the $60 Universal planned to charge for the VOD, but the smaller theater chains were forced to act because it meant the first salvo in the battle for their continued existence. However, this kind of “bad press” isn’t the kind that would entice people into the theaters.

2. A Very Harold And Kumar 3D Christmas (Warner Bros./New Line, @2,800 Theaters, 90 Minutes, Rated R): There are several things that amaze me about the Howard and Kumar franchise. One is the way it rose from its humble beginnings to become a franchise in the first place. I’m always fascinated when that happens.

Another is how far the cast has come. When the first film was released, the cast was living in obscurity–two unknowns and one former sitcom star. Now, mostly because of that first film, John Cho has taken over the iconic role of Sulu in the Star Trek film franchise, Neil Patrick Harris has once again become a TV icon as Barney from How I Met Your Mother, and Kal Penn, for me most impressive of all, has gone on work for the Obama Administration as the Associate Director in the White House Office of Public Liaison.

But was is most amazing the fact that the three princpals have returned for this sequel. Lord knows they didn’t have to, but it rocks that they did.

This film seems like more of the same, as the search for a replacement tree for the one owned by Harold’s father-in-law that Kumar accidentally burned acts as the framework for their wacky adventures. In 3-D no less. I’m not a fan of 3-D, but I do admire the way that the makers of this film have tried to come up with the schlockiest effects to take advantage of the 3-D process.

Normally I dread the Christmas season starting while there are still 90 degree temperatures outside my Pennsylvania apartment. But man if this first trailer for A Very Harold and Kumar 3D Christmas doesn’t get me excited for the upcoming Holidays. Once again Kal Penn and John Cho are back, this time to navigate the holidays in a film that looks to make fun of everything from Tim Allen’s The Santa Clause films to 3D itself. And if you’re wondering how Neil Patrick Harris can be back for a third film after his character of Neil Patrick Harris got gunned down in the last one, well the trailer does address that.

A Very Harold And Kumar 3D Christmas arrives in theaters on November 4.

Opening this weekend in limited release is the comedy The Best And The Brightest. We managed to see the film last fall at the Philadelphia Film Festival. Here is our review from that screening.

With funding courtesy of a small inheritance from a recently deceased aunt, Jeff (Neil Patrick Harris) and Samantha (Bonnie Somerville) decide to transplant their home from Delaware to Manhattan. But the transition isn’t a smooth one as they discover when they go to enroll their five-year-old daughter into a private kindergarten. It turns out that there is cutthroat competition to get in and many schools start the enrollment process while the couples are still pregnant. Turning to a professional enrollment coach (Amy Sedaris), Jeff and Samantha soon find themselves trapped in a series of increasingly ridiculous lies and deception in order to get their daughter enrolled.

The Best And The Brightest doesn’t quite measure up as a big screen comedy. There are laughs to be had here, but the screenplay’s constant need to place its characters in improbable situation and then compounding things through a string of easily avoidable misunderstandings and contrived bad luck. This happens on more than one occasion and each time it does the rhythm of the scene feels as if there should be a pre-recorded laugh track accompaniment.

Of course, this formula also insists on characters doing incredibly stupid things and here is no exception. At the insistence of their enrollment adviser, Jeff pretends that he is a poet who is preparing to have his first volume of work published. A racy transcript of a friend’s online chat activity is accidentally substituted for his supposed verse when a school’s admissions officer asks to see a sample of his writing. Rather than being appalled at the content, she finds it groundbreaking and soon the couple find themselves hosting a book party to premier the non-existent volume with all the school’s high-powered administration in attendance. While this could be played as screwball or farce, it plays it too broadly to be anything but a plot from a half-hour television laughter.

Harris, Somerville, Sedaris and Peter Serafinowicz as the aforementioned online chatting friend, try to work with the script gives them, but it is a desperate battle. The characters are fairly underdeveloped and that leaves much of the action unmotivated except for the need of the screenplay to have them do something that will further complicate the situation. Only Christopher McDonald, as the school’s main financial benefactor, seems to realize what he’s stuck with and plays his character’s collection of cliches to the hammy hilt.

A note: Although set in New York City, the film was shot in both Manhattan and Philadelphia-posing-as-Manhattan. Familiarity with both cities may induce an occasional jolt of disconnection when the production jumps from one locale to the other.

1. Rango (Paramount, 3,700 Theaters, 107 Minutes, Rated PG): So, who out there thought a Gore Verbinski/Johnny Depp reunion would involve the latter playing a lizard living in the animal version of the Old West? Anyone?

Well, that is what is happening this week. And, sorry, if you fantasy was seeing Johnny Depp wearing a chameleon costume, you’re out of luck. He simply provides the voice for this computer animated flick.

It tells the story of a chameleon who finds himself in a lawless town in need of order. Despite all odds, he has to be the one to provide it.

There is a pretty good voice cast joining Depp, so it could be a step above the usual non-Pixar animated fare.  

2. The Adjustment Bureau (Universal, 2,840 Theaters, 99 Minutes, Rated PG-13): So, the premise of this film lends itself to be the kind of mindwarp film that you’d expect from a Terry Gilliam or David Lynch, however the trailer, and perhaps this is because Matt Damon is in it, comes of as a Bourne Identity like chase thriller. Which really doesn’t seem to fit.

Adapted from a story by Philip K. Dick (who has to, by now, rival Ian Fleming and William Shakespeare as the most adapted author around), it feature Matt Damon as politician who falls in love with a ballet dancer played by Emily Blunt. Damon’s character soon finds out that there is a shadowy organization that controls the world and that has other plans for him, plans that don’t involve Blunt’s character.

Yes, it’s a head-twister and a half. But not really an action film. If the powers that be try to make it into one, it just won’t work. Maybe this is why the film, which was supposed to come out late last year, has been delayed until now. 

3. Take Me Home Tonight (Relativity, 2,003 Theaters, 114 Minutes, Rated R): Is there really any reason to be nostalgic for the 1980′s? I came of age during that decade and, really, it wasn’t all that great. But that decade–and all of its pop culture icons–are being strip-mined for all of its nostalgic value. Maybe I’m so negative because I know in ten years they’ll be doing the same thing to the 1990s and we’ll have a bunch of romantic comedies around flannel wearing slackers.

Anyway, this film is follows the typical ’80s format–a nebbishy guy and he dorky friend hit a local house party so the nebbishy guy can finally make a connection with the hottest girl in his class. And, keeping with ’80s tradition, we have two actors in their 30′s playing these characters.

Of course, the characters themselves break from tradition by being in their 20′s and not the teens as would be the typical age group of these kinds of protagonists. the ads had a chuckle or two, so it your 80s nostalgia wasn’t sated with Hot Tub Time Machine, well, here you go.

4. Beastly (CBS Films, 1,952 Theaters, 95 Minutes, Rated PG-13):This film is an updating on the Beauty and the Beast fable, where a arrogant young man is turned into a hideous looking monster by a curse, The only way the curse can be broken is if the beast can find someone who loves him for who he is.

They say the classics never go out of style. But when modernizing it brings in drug addicts and goth girl sorceresses, then it might have gone too far.

It does have Neil Patrick Harris and Mary-Kate Olsen in it, which has to satisfy someone’s twisted fantasy. And also Alex Pettyfer, most recently of I Am Number Four , whose apparent marketing strategy is to throw as many films up on screens in the shortest time possible to see if any stick.

With funding courtesy of a small inheritance from a recently deceased aunt, Jeff (Neil Patrick Harris) and Samantha (Bonnie Somerville) decide to transplant their home from Delaware to Manhattan. But the transition isn’t a smooth one as they discover when they go to enroll their five-year-old daughter into a private kindergarten. It turns out that there is cutthroat competition to get in and many schools start the enrollment process while the couples are still pregnant. Turning to a professional enrollment coach (Amy Sedaris), Jeff and Samantha soon find themselves trapped in a series of increasingly ridiculous lies and deception in order to get their daughter enrolled.

The Best And The Brightest doesn’t quite measure up as a big screen comedy. There are laughs to be had here, but the screenplay’s constant need to place its characters in improbable situation and then compounding things through a string of easily avoidable misunderstandings and contrived bad luck. This happens on more than one occasion and each time it does the rhythm of the scene feels as if there should be a pre-recorded laugh track accompaniment.

Of course, this formula also insists on characters doing incredibly stupid things and here is no exception. At the insistence of their enrollment adviser, Jeff pretends that he is a poet who is preparing to have his first volume of work published. A racy transcript of a friend’s online chat activity is accidentally substituted for his supposed verse when a school’s admissions officer asks to see a sample of his writing. Rather than being appalled at the content, she finds it groundbreaking and soon the couple find themselves hosting a book party to premier the non-existent volume with all the school’s high-powered administration in attendance. While this could be played as screwball or farce, it plays it too broadly to be anything but a plot from a half-hour television laughter.

Harris, Somerville, Sedaris and Peter Serafinowicz as the aforementioned online chatting friend, try to work with the script gives them, but it is a desperate battle. The characters are fairly underdeveloped and that leaves much of the action unmotivated except for the need of the screenplay to have them do something that will further complicate the situation. Only Christopher McDonald, as the school’s main financial benefactor, seems to realize what he’s stuck with and plays his character’s collection of cliches to the hammy hilt.

A note: Although set in New York City, the film was shot in both Manhattan and Philadelphia-posing-as-Manhattan. Familiarity with both cities may induce an occasional jolt of disconnection when the production jumps from one locale to the other.

Sure, we saw Neil Patrick Harris in Harold And Kumar Escape From Guantanamo Bay being gunned down by an irate bordello owning Beverly D’Angello and left for dead by the film’s titular stoner heroes. Don’t worry. A scene after the credits showed that he was alright. And besides, do you think that a few pesky gunshot wounds are enough to keep him from returning for the currently in production sequel, A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas?

Hollywood.com had a chat with the actor who is currently working on the live action Smurfs in New York City, who confirmed his involvement in the threequel. Presumably, once the actor is done in Manhattan he’ll immediately join up with John Cho and Kal Penn before having to head back to Hollywood to begin work on the sixth season of the sitcom How I Met Your Mother.

The new film will see best buds Harold and Kumar estranged after nearly ten years. Harold is drug-free and married, pulling down big figures as a Wall Street exec. Kumar is still smoking pot and has just lost his medical license because of that. The duo get reunited when a package for Harold arrives at their old apartment and Kumar takes it to Harold’s new home. One accidentally set-on-fire Christmas tree later and the two are out looking for a replacement when hilarity ensues.

Series writer/directors Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg have penned the script for the film, though their duties preparing to helm American Pie 4 from their own screenplay for Universal later this summer have kept them out of the directors’ chairs for this film. First time feature director Todd Strauss-Schulson is directing.

But will it be legen- wait for it -dary?

Neil Patrick Harris has been cast in the upcoming live action and animation combo The Smurfs. Director Raja Gosnell, the man who brought Scooby Doo to the big screen, will be using computer-generated animation to bring the little blue, three apples-high people to life to interact with live action actors. Hollywood Deadline broke the news but had no word as to what role he would be in outside of the fact that it would be an on camera role and he would not be voicing one of the film’s animated characters. Could it be Gargamel, the evil, but inept wizard who lives to make the Smurfs’ lives miserable?

Although I’ve enjoyed how Neil Patrick Harris lampooned himself in the two Harold And Kumar movies and his work on the internet series Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog, I’ve really begun to appreciate his comedy chops only recently, while I’ve been working my way through the season sets of How I Married Your Mother. However, Gosnell at the helm of this project does give me pause to worry. Thye phrase “from the director of  Big Mama’s House, Scooby Doo, Yours, Mine And Ours, Beverly Hills Chihuahua” doesn’t inspire much confidence. Will this streak continue with The Smurfs?

1. Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs (Sony/Columbia, 3,119 Theaters, 90 Minutes, Rated PG): Wow, there is a lot of movies coming out this week. I thought the fall was when movies were supposed to taper off. I guess not.

This film is based in the popular children’s book about a scientist who comes up with a cure for the world’s food problems–he can create food out of thin air. Unfortunately, the thin air in question is in the upper atmosphere and the result is food raining down upon the Earth.

This film has one eclectic voice cast. Take a look at this: SNLers Bill Hader, Andy Samburg, Will Forte and Laraine Newman (doing “Additional Voices”), Anna Faris, James Caan, Lauren Graham, Benjamin Bratt, Bruce Campbell, Al Roker, Neil Patrick Harris and Mr. T.

Yes, I said Mr. T. Yes, THAT Mr. T.

This cast seems like it would be more at home in an episode of The Love Boat written by Hunter S. Thompson.

2. Jennifer’s Body (Fox, 2,701 Theaters, 102 Minutes, Rated R): It’s not every Oscar-winning screenwriter who chooses as her sophomore effort a teen horror flick about a demonically possessed cheerleader. But not every Oscar-winning screenwriter who is Diablo Cody.

It is a bold choice to follow up Juno with a film of this sort. Juno succeeded because behind the at time too hip for its own good dialogue there was a lot of heart. The only kind of heart you find in a horror movie is ones that have been plucked from the chest of an unsuspecting teenager. So it is natural to expect sort of a letdown.

And a let down is what we’ll get if the final product is anything like the script FilmBuffOnline Head Honcho Rich Drees reviewed here. I hope for the best because I am one of the few not hoping for a Diablo Cody backlash, but it doesn’t look good.

3.The Informant! (Warner Brothers, 2,505 Theaters, 108 Minutes, Rated R): Boy, don’t the trailers to this one look good? It seems like it will be a goofy caper comedy about a less than bright informant trying work undercover at his place of business.

Problem is, I got the same feeling when I saw the trailer for Burn After Reading–that it would be a wacky caper comedy about a bunch of less than bright people trying to blackmail a government employee. But that film was only partly that before taking a dark turn in the second half and finishing with one of the worst endings to any movie of all time.

This one is directed by Steven Soderburgh, an auteur on the level of the Coen Brothers, but written by someone else. So there is a good chance this will remain consistent in tone and won’t end with two people in a room discussing what happened to the characters we spent two hours watching.

4. Love Happens (Universal, 1,898 Theaters, 109 Minutes, Rated PG-13): Okay, we have a kid flick, a horror film, and a comedy. Now all we need is a nice romance film to make the week complete.

Well, look what we have here! A romance! How convenient!

It is a little depressing to see Jennifer Aniston, on of my “Top 5″, starring in an adult aimed romance. But I guess we all mature eventually, don’t we?

The film is about a widowed self-help guru who meets a new woman with whom he’s is attracted to. However, this new romance stirs up some unresolved feeling regarding his deceased wife.