Rad Dad

    We’re celebrating Memorial Day by having a Nerf War. Awesome.

Memorial Day weekend was kind to everyone’s favorite big green ogre. The “final” sequel in the beaten to death Shrek series pulled in an estimated $55.7m over the long weekend. Bringing it’s 11 day total to $145m, not bad considering it was made for $165m.

Disney’s video game adaptation Prince of Persia, slightly edged out Sex in the City 2 for number 2 with $37.1m. That doesn’t sound too bad but it cost $200m and was supposed to do Pirates of the Caribean-like numbers.

No real surprise to me, Prince was released too close to Shrek to give it a real chance. I haven’t seen it yet so I can’t say how it compares to the Pirates series.

According to ComicBookMovie.com this is an official synopsis for the currently in production Green Lantern Movie.

                                                   Green Lantern

Bringing the enduringly popular superhero to the big screen for the first time, “Green Lantern” stars Ryan Reynolds (“X-Men Origins: Wolverine”) in the title role, under the direction of Martin Campbell (“Casino Royale”).

In a universe as vast as it is mysterious, a small but powerful force has existed for centuries. Protectors of peace and justice, they are called the Green Lantern Corps. A brotherhood of warriors sworn to keep intergalactic order, each Green Lantern wears a ring that grants him superpowers. But when a new enemy called Parallax threatens to destroy the balance of power in the Universe, their fate and the fate of Earth lie in the hands of their newest recruit, the first human ever selected: Hal Jordan.

Hal is a gifted and cocky test pilot, but the Green Lanterns have little respect for humans, who have never harnessed the infinite powers of the ring before. But Hal is clearly the missing piece to the puzzle, and along with his determination and willpower, he has one thing no member of the Corps has ever had: humanity. With the encouragement of fellow pilot and childhood sweetheart Carol Ferris (Blake Lively), if Hal can quickly master his new powers and find the courage to overcome his fears, he may prove to be not only the key to defeating Parallax…he will become the greatest Green Lantern of all.

Campbell directs “Green Lantern” from a screenplay by Greg Berlanti & Michael Green & Marc Guggenheim and Michael Goldenberg, story by Greg Berlanti & Michael Green & Marc Guggenheim, based upon characters appearing in comic books published by DC Comics.

The film also stars Blake Lively (upcoming “The Town,” TV’s “Gossip Girl”) as the spirited Carol Ferris, a test pilot and the heir apparent to her father’s aviation company; Peter Sarsgaard (“An Education,” “Flightplan”) as scientist Dr. Hector Hammond; Mark Strong (“Sherlock Holmes”) as Sinestro, Jordan’s powerful mentor in the Green Lantern Corps; Jay O. Sanders (“Revolutionary Road”) as Carl Ferris, Carol’s aircraft designer dad; Temuera Morrison (“Star Wars” Episodes II and III) as Abin Sur, Jordan’s alien predecessor; Taika Waititi (TV’s “The Flight of the Conchords”) as flight navigator Tom Kalmaku, Hal’s good friend and confidante; Academy Award® nominee Angela Bassett (“What’s Love Got to Do with It”) as enigmatic government scientist Amanda Waller; and Academy Award® winner Tim Robbins (“Mystic River”) as Hector’s influential father, Senator Robert Hammond. The film is being produced by Donald De Line (“The Italian Job”) and Greg Berlanti (upcoming “Life As We Know It”).

Herbert W. Gains and Andrew Haas serve as executive producers. Geoff Johns and Lucienne Papon are co-producing. The film’s behind-the-scenes creative team is led by a number of Academy Award® winners, including director of photography Dion Beebe (“Memoirs of a Geisha”), production designer Grant Major (“The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King”), and costume designer Ngila Dickson (“The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King”), as well as Oscar®-nominated editor and longtime Campbell collaborator, Stuart Baird (“Gorillas in the Mist,” “Superman”). The film’s visual effects are being overseen by Oscar®-nominee Kent Houston (“The Adventures of Baron Von Munchausen,” “Casino Royale”).

The film is currently scheduled for release in 3D and 2D on June 17, 2011. “Green Lantern” will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company. ’

It’s hardly a full synopsis, but it gives us just enough to intrigue us.

According to Heat Vision James McAvoy (Wanted) has signed to play Professor X in the upcoming X-Men prequel “X-Men: First Class”. McAvoy is the first to sign on to the Matthew Vaughn (Kick-Ass) directed film for Fox.

The film, according to Fox, will take place before Professor X and Magneto became enemies. Before the Brotherhood was created by Magneto and the X-Men by Professor X.

X-Men: First Class is on the fast-track scheduled for a June 3, 2011.

I started out as a child, and I never grew up.

I was a geek, long before it became fashionable to declare one’s geekness to the masses. My diet consisted of heavy doses of Star Wars, action figures, and comic books (with a serious ninja faze for good measure).

Fast forward a few years, (okay, more than a few) I am the father of two awesome kids, Mason (7), and Madison (4). The heirs to the throne of my geekdom. I am a Rad Dad, and my mission is to make each day the best day ever for my kids. To provide them with all of the knowledge they need about Star Wars (and why the prequels suck). To explain to them how Batman is way cooler than Superman. And to give them all of the tools they need as children of the 21st century.

The goal of this blog is not to use it as an avenue to fuel my massive ego, spewing stories of my awesome family (well not just that). The goal is to share news and reviews on everything you and your kids might find rad. Movies, tv, video games, comics, toys, projects, crazy food, fun vacations, cool tech. If it’s rad you’ll find it here. From my point of view, as well as my kids.

This is not a parenting blog, unless you need to know how to explain why Optimus or Snake Eyes should not have lips.

Consider Rad Dad a central hub for you and your kids. With daily news on all things rad. You want to know if that new action flick is okay for your kids, check with us. You want to know the shooting distance of that awesome new Nerf blaster, hit us up. We’ll let you know which comics are good for your kids, and which ones are good for you. You get the point, we have what you want, the rad.

If you’re an immature dad who just fathered children so you can peruse the action figure aisle at your local Toys R Us, you’re in the rite place. If you are a responsible father who is very active in your children’s life, well I guess you can stay too.