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By Michael Lopez

Ever wonder why you don't see many Western movies these days? Is it because modern-day moviegoers have lost respect for the art of gunslinging or is it because people find them to be just plain boring. Possibly a little of both and, for better or worse, Cowboys & Aliens suffers quite a bit from the latter.

Looking at the credits, you can imagine great things from a movie like Cowboys. And perhaps that's part of its downfall. With such a rich pedigree behind it, expectations for this film are incredibly high. But sadly, talented names like Steven Spielberg, Harrison Ford, Ron Howard, and Jon Favreau can't save Cowboys from its own clichés.

Every character in this movie feels a little too familiar. There's the unknown stranger (Daniel Craig) who may have a villainous past, the salty veteran (Ford) who we soon find out has a heart of gold, and the frightened kid (Noah Ringer) who learns to be a man. Yes the concept of spaceships in the old west is fresh, but everything in between seems to feel uninspired.

The story also moves at a rather slow pace. There is much more emphasis put on cowboy sunsets and horse riding than on the Aliens and their backstory. And we imagine all of you sci-fi fans may find that to be a bit of a disappointment.

An hour or so in, the mysterious space creatures are finally revealed. But their reason for coming to Earth seems both far-fetched and just plain silly. That being said, the creepy alien designs are well executed and the spaceship action sequences deliver carnage very reminiscent of Favreau's Iron Man movies.

But too many elements of the plot come off stale. Characters popping in at just the right moment to save the day, sappy death scenes that are way too predictable, and a confusing subplot with Olivia Wilde that may need more explaining in the Director's Cut. Though the performances, the effects, and the action are all top notch, the Cowboys story feels like it got up and rode off into the sunset.

Bottom line: There is no denying that Western movies are tough to pull off in this day and age. And though the makers of Cowboys & Aliens obviously love the genre, they seem to have ignored the characters and dialogue that goes along with it. Yes there are great horse riding sequences, sunsets, and bow-and-arrow battles, but let's not forget the Aliens! If you really want to get your modern-day Western fix on, we recommend checking out Rango.

Are you planning on watching Cowboys & Aliens? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Blogger: Michael Lopez, Cowboys & Aliens, Daniel Craig, Harrison Ford, Jon Favreau, Movie Reviews, Movies & CineMás, Olivia Wilde, Ron Howard

By Michael Lopez

Fanboys have quite a lot to celebrate these days. The 2011 WonderCon comic convention brought tons of buzz, with exclusive sneak peeks of the new Green Lantern film, the revamped ThunderCats series, and Jon Favreau’s highly-anticipated Cowboys & Aliens.

Luring over 35,000 fans, the three-day event literally overtook downtown San Francisco last weekend. Hallways at the city’s Moscone Center were swarming with Superman, Star Trek, and Transformers lookalikes (just to name a few) who embraced the convention with die-hard dedication.

Comic book fans got a real treat with artists, writers, and historians on hand to sign memorabilia and pose for pictures. Notable guests included Robert Kirkman, who created the cult hit The Walking Dead; Bob Layton, who is credited with re-inventing the Iron Man character, and former Marvel editor-in-chief Joe Quesada.

But while the comic side of the convention brought in the true fanatics, it was the movie discussion panels that the media ate up. One of the most notable moments came when stars Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively unveiled five minutes of their highly-anticipated Green Lantern movie.

Showcasing scenes of Ryan’s Hal Jordan character receiving Green Lantern’s famous "power ring," it was loaded with breathtaking visuals of the Green Lantern Corps. and their faraway planet.

“I didn’t know much about it. I knew the log line – guy is given a ring by a dying guy and becomes a superhero,” Ryan revealed. “Geoff Johns [writer for current Green Lantern comic] was great to have around on set because he was the mythology police. He made sure everything was up to snuff because when you have an executive producer that is also a fanboy, if you are a studio that is probably scary as sh**.”

Web reaction has definitely been positive and we can only imagine what all of those intergalactic battles will look like when Lantern is released in 3D this June.

Nostalgic animation lovers got treated to footage from the new ThunderCats series. Even though the characters got a fresh revamp, fans of the old school cartoon were happy to discover that the original voice of fearless leader Lion-O will be back as senior member, Claudus.

Iron Man director Jon Favreau headed a panel about the summer’s other huge blockbuster-in-waiting, Cowboys & Aliens. Featuring a cast that includes Harrison Ford, Daniel Craig, and Tr3s fave Ana de la Reguera, its plot is still shrouded in mystery, but Favreau did drop a few hints.

“The whole end of the movie [has] aliens on the ground," Jon revealed. “I wanted the characters to be freaked out, while the audience is laughing. I want the excitement to come from the juxtaposition of things.”

After exclusive Cowboys & Aliens scenes were shown, the crowd erupted in cheers. And with dozens of other panels happening throughout the weekend, there was plenty of fanboy overload to go around. When it was all over the question became, could WonderCon actually overtake San Diego’s famed Comic Con convention? Looks like we’ll have to wait until July to find out.

Are you a fan of the massive comic conventions? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Ana de la Reguera, Blake Lively, comic books, Comics, Cowboys & Aliens, Daniel Craig, Green Lantern, Harrison Ford, Hot Stuff, Movies & CineMás, ThunderCats, WonderCon