Those who grew up in the 80s remember the classic pro-earth propaganda cartoon series Captain Planet and the Planeteers fondly. Whether it was living through the Planeteer that you related to the most, or just being a huge fan of a superhero that turned grime into healthy plants, the show was a nostalgic hit.

Most recently, there have been more and more rumblings that a live-action film based on the adventures of Captain Planet and how he would clean up our current society in their polluted, disrespectful ways.

We’re a few years away from seeing anything happen with this film, but that hasn’t stopped world-renowned actor Don Cheadle from putting together a web short in which he shows how he’d play the character. Here’s a hint, it’s not as campy as it was 20 years ago.

Check out the Funny or Die short after the jump, and see if you can find some pretty cool cameos in the video as well (perhaps a Community student and friend of Napoleon Dynamite?). Let’s hope that the studio sees this and takes Cheadle’s take on the hero to heart.

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This one comes directly from what we like to call the “Meh” department. Sure, some people may be huge fans of the Captain Planet and the Planeteers cartoon show, believe in its positive message and think it should be made into a live action feature film. And really, that’s fine. Positive messages are good.

However, some others, and a few around The Flickcast offices, see this news as yet another in a series of developments where it just seems like Hollywood has compleely run out of ideas and is now grasping at anything that even remotely seems to have the smallest chance of being made into a film. Yes, that’s a long sentence but you get the idea.

I supoose it could have something to do with the producer of the proposed live action Captain Planet adaptation: Don Murphy. In case you’re not familiar with his work he produced, most recently, Transformers: Turn off the Dark (or whatever its called). Obviously, the fact that his last movie made a butload of cash probably has something to do with his being able to get most anything (even a Captain Planet movie) greenlit.

Says Mr. Murphy: “We are extremely excited about bringing the good captain back to life. [The Captain's] adventures are known worldwide and he is recognized across generations.”

Ah hell, what do I know? I’m sure it will turn out to be the greatest movie since, well, the last Transformers. Although, that’s not much to live up to.

I just saw Knight and Day and in a summer notably lacking in quality, this one stands out as being the worst film in terms of the script and editing. The 2 and a half minute trailer was better than the entire film. In the film a rogue FBI agent, Roy Millerand the FBi, steals a never-ending battery that looks like the generic D Energizer kind. June, a hapless bystander, gets caught up in the action. Together they must keep the battery safe while on the run from arms dealers and the FBI.

In editing class you’re taught that if a movie is well edited then you won’t question the loopholes until hours later when you’re at home, hence the term refrigerator moment. Quite apropos when you consider Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull. In Knight and Day, however, I started questioning the flick while it was still playing.

For starters, whenever characters would mention anything of importance, it was never once brought up again or answered in any kind of way. None of the characters had any semblance of a back story. There was no time limit set for the mission, no sense of urgency, and no one saved anything, much less the world. In essence the film lacked discernible goals. This film brings new meaning to the term, “We’ll fix it in post”.

What follows is a list of questions. I would say there are spoilers, but since there are absolutely zero twists, turns, or creativity in the script, there are no spoilers. Anyone who can answer these questions solely based on the film will receive a highly valued, Flickcast Certified No. Prize. Go ahead smarty pants, make my day.

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