The reviews have progressed from a trickle to a deluge (look for ours tomorrow), so what do you say we conduct our final pre-release roundup of all things Watchmania?

At Hollywood and Fine, Marshall Fine ponders the big questions. “What is Watchmen but yet another distraction – a bit of apocalyptic storytelling meant to take our minds off the apocalypse now? That’s what I hate about this moment in time: There’s no such thing as simply seeing a movie like this and enjoying it on its merits. The hype machine has been pumping since before Snyder rolled the first camera. It’s been building to a deafening roar since the first of the year. You can’t escape it – it’s impossible not to get burned out on it, whether you’re interested in the subject or not.”

The Moviefile offers 10 Unlikely Movies You Should Watch Before Watchmen. Would you believe Purple Rain? “Adrian Veidt wasn't the only one who liked a nice purple suit. It was the '80s! See for yourself how much people of the era liked to wear purple. Well, some people.”

The “visionary director” Zack Snyder talks to the L.A. Times about filming the unfilmable. “We're killing the comic-book movie, we're ending it," Snyder said. "This movie is the last comic-book movie, for good or bad.” Hmm. How is he going to break this news to Samuel L. Jackson?

Here’s an MTV piece on Watchmen Easter Eggs, which you should probably save until after seeing the movie. Here’s a hint: “For 46 years, the world has wondered who really shot JFK. Thanks to Watchmen, we finally have photographic evidence of the man on the grassy knoll.”

As Paul Clark reported earlier today, the Watchmen Motion Comic is now available on DVD. Watch the trailer below – and consult Leonard Pierce’s review before you consider a purchase.