The Nintendo Switch is off to a tremendous start. The console sold 1.5 Million units in its first week, and sales were strong in its second. The system has sold through the majority of its first stock wave, and more are going to be available on March 22.
GameStop’s director of merchandising, Eric Bright, thinks the Switch could even overtake the Wii, which sold 100 Million, in sales
“The Nintendo Switch is off to a start right now that it could possibly eclipse the Wii. Initial sales on this have been phenomenal. I can’t give straight numbers, but I can say we’re seeing one of the highest attach rates of software and accessories to a device that we’ve seen in a long time.”
Additionally, Bright talked about the accessories of the Switch and how they are selling.
“We’re seeing tremendous success with the power chargers for the Nintendo Switch, as well as people coming in and picking up extra Joy-Con so people can turn it into a four-player device”
These sales definitely aren’t exclusive to Gamestop. The Switch has been a massive success so far, and now we’ll have to wait and see if the console continues to sell.
Have you “made the Switch” yet? If so, how are you liking the system? Comment below!
Famed video game and film writers Chris Pasetto (Sanitarium, co-writer of feature film Air) and Christian Cantamessa (Red Dead Redemption, co-writer and director of Air) team up with comics artist Lukas Ketner (Witch Doctor) for the all-new series Kill the Minotaur, coming this June from Image Comics and Skybound Entertainment.
Athens lost the war to Crete. Now, they must pay tribute to King Minos by sacrificing their best citizens to his unearthly labyrinth and the terror within. Conspirators believe Theseus can be the hero they so desperately need to end the mad king’s bloody reign…but no one in this world has ever encountered anything like the savage minotaur.
Cantamessa said:
Growing up in Italy I was fascinated with mythology and its archetypal stories. Our goal is to continue a time-honored tradition of storytelling and to offer a novel take for a modern audience.
Pasetto added:
I’m honored that Image and Skybound have included KILL THE MINOTAUR in their lineup. It’s been amazing working with Christian to create this fresh take on a classic myth, and Lukas has done an outstanding job bringing our world and characters to life with his art.
Artist Lukas Ketner chimed in:
The story of Theseus and the Minotaur was my favorite Greek myth as a kid, and Christian Cantamessa and Chris Pasetto have really run with that classic and twisted it into something shocking and fun.The series has been an absolute joy to draw, and it’s an honor to have my artwork treated to Jean-Francois Beaulieu’s coloring expertise.
Kill The Minotaur #1 (Diamond code: APR170711) hits comic book stores Wednesday, June 14th. Final order cutoff deadline for comics retailers is Monday, May 22nd.
AfterShock Comics continues to pump out exciting new books and series. Check out the info on their latest announcement below. Make sure to comment and discuss!
NEW SERIES!
Jimmy Regent, Britain’s number one super-spy, has got it all: intrigue, adventure, a license to shoot whoever he likes and beautiful women falling at his feet. He also has a new partner who isn’t quite as impressed by Jimmy as all other women appear to be. Now, there’s a price to pay for Jimmy’s multiple romantic conquests — the results of which are about to come calling in the worst possible way…
JIMMY’S BASTARDS #1 / $3.99 / 32 pages / Color
writer: Garth Ennis
artist: Russ Braun
color: John Kalisz
letterer: Rob Steen
cover “A”: Dave Johnson
cover “B”: Russ Braun
Disney is scheduled to release their live action Mulan November 2, 2018, but there won’t be any music-and the internet is LIVID. As it should be. Director Niki Caro, who is best known for directing films The Zookeeper’s Wife and McFarland USA, stated in an interview with MovieFone that the film “from what [she] understand[s], [has] no songs right now.” The film’s release date seems…hasty, and can only be speculated that this is due to it having to compete with Sony’s upcoming Mulan adaptation. Usually I try to maintain a form of 3rd-ish person POV when writing news-ish type things, but as this movie holds a very near and dear place in my heart. Let me tell you why I personally am chapped about the absence of musical elements in the upcoming film. This piece will be somewhat-but not very-informative.
In the MovieFone interview, Caro described her vision for Mulan as “extremely muscular and thrilling and entertaining and moving.” Obviously, the focus will be on the extreme potential for amazing action and fight scenes. My personal worry for this project, is that Disney will focus too much on trying to make Mulan exciting, and “kick-ass”, and neglect the emotional backing the movie holds. For me, as an Asian-American female, the animated Mulan was one of the only films that I watched that not only made me feel less isolated as an Asian-even if I am not Chinese-by incorporating very Asian ideals into a film that became very mainstream, but it was also one of the first instances of strong female empowerment that I was exposed to as a small child. So, I really want to see this film done justice as an overall whole, because of how iconic it was to me and my life-as I’m sure with many other Asian girls who saw it growing up. Part of what made Mulan so iconic, and memorable, were the musical numbers.
As a general person, one knows that music makes you feel things. We may not all be behavioral scientists, and be able to explain the effect music has on us in terms of neurons and what have you, but we could probably all agree that music can affect our mood and how we perceive things. The musical numbers in the animated version of Mulan, added another complex sensory stimulant, that allowed viewers to immerse themselves and their emotions in the film. Accomplishing the task, where the audience can feel what Mulan was feeling, would have been much less effective if all the audience had to go off of was dialogue. I understand the logic behind excluding music numbers from the live action remake. Obviously, singing while training for a battle will take away from realism of the scene, and film as a whole, but is it worth it to strip such an iconic film of what made it so iconic? I feel pretty personally victimized by the decision, because I’m sorry but if I can’t have the feeling of wanting to sing about kicking butt, I’m not into it.
To be fair, the live action version won’t be just a remake of the animated film, with real people. A source from the film told Vulture, in reference to a rumored spec script that the spec script “was a jumping-off point for a new take on the story that draws from both the literary ballad of Mulan and Disney’s 1998 animated film.” While the spec script in question isn’t the one being used for the actual film, it can be pretty well deduced that Disney used it to inspire the script currently reported to be the official one-written by Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver (both involved in the writing for Jurassic World and ThePlanet of the Apes). This is exciting, due to the fact that the actual Ballad of Mulan was less PG and simplified than the 1998 film.
The lack of music, isn’t the only issue with this film, as most of us well know by now. Disney is facing a lot of pressure not to “white-wash” the project, especially after the whole Doctor Strange debacle. As an Asian-American, I would be upset if Mulan followed suit, or participated in perpetuating Yellow-Face by portraying Asian characters with Caucasian actors. Thankfully, that’s not going to happen as Disney has gone on record multiple times assuring us that the cast will be all Asian.
My last comment is this: if Mushu isn’t as sassy as he was in the animated film, I’ll consider the entire thing a complete failure.
YouTube, the long-time bastion for web content, allowing people like PewDiePie to rise from nowhere to great heights only to shoot himself in the foot. YouTube also allowed Bieber to become, well, Bieber. Before YouTube, Bieber was just another polite Canadian kid. YouTube’s been around for a long time, and as the pioneer in video web content, it’s never ignored evolving for the better. YouTube is always trying to make itself an even better home for videos of all kinds, and now, with YouTube Red, the streaming service is dipping its toes into making movies and TV shows like The Thinning.
The Thinning Stars: Logan Paul and Peyton List
Released in October of 2016, The Thinning is a dystopian science fiction story which leans toward the Hunger Games or Divergent crowd. To break it down as quickly as possible, the future sucks, there are too many people, and measures are put in place to deal with the problem. The result of this is a meritocracy where a yearly test determines the fate of students. The rules are simple, fail the test, you die. Pass, and you get another year to the next test all the way until you graduate. They don’t say it in the movie, but I imagine after graduating you’re are to indulge in as many drugs and alcohol as possible to erase the memory of watching friends and classmates die year after year
The Thinning is competently directed by Michael Gallagher. I don’t imagine that the budget was huge, but the movie makes the best of it. The thrust of the story, like any of these films, is the corruption of the system being uncovered. In The Thinning, Blake Redding (Logan Paul), the son of the Governor of Texas suspects the test is rigged and fails on purpose. Daddy pulls some strings to have another girl executed in Blake’s place.
The Thinning is not groundbreaking in any way, but it’s not trying to be. It’s trying to be a solid dystopian story, and it mostly succeeds.
Aside from the basic info of a UN Charter requiring nations to reduce populations, there isn’t a lot of world-building in The Thinning. The film stayed small and focused on just what’s going on in Texas. On the one hand, world-building isn’t necessary if the immediate narrative is compelling. On the contrary, can engaging story even happen when you don’t understand the world surrounding the characters? The Thinning doesn’t suffer too much from the latter. However, it’s not clear whether the thinning occurs outside of Texas or not. A confusing speech by Governor makes it seem like it’s only a Texas thing, but then, what is everyone else doing to control the population? Also, if other states are not executing high school kids, then why are they okay with Texas killing them?
Perhaps all that is nitpicking. At the end of the 90-minute run-time,The Thinning tells its story in an entertaining way. The film’s not groundbreaking in any way, but it’s not trying to be. It’s trying to be a solid dystopian story, and it mostly succeeds. However, the end cliffhanger gets an A for effort but an F- for execution. Commence, the thinning!
Ever since Bad Robot surprised us all with 10 Cloverfield Lane last year, there’s been news of another Cloverfield Universe flick on the horizon. And now, The Hollywood Reporter has some cryptic info on their next film, which may or may not be tied to Cloverfield.
Black Mirror‘s Wyatt Russell and Jovan Adept from Fences will star. Here’s the synopsis:
They will star as American paratroopers dropped into enemy territory. As the approach their target, a Nazi-occupied village with a German radio tower, they realize that they are a part of something bigger than a simple military operation.
This absolutely sounds like a Cloverfield story. Super secret military operations involving the supernatural? Has to be it, right?
There also has to be more to the story here than this shady synopsis. The sting of a new film in this universe has already been watered down now that journos are on the case. They aren’t about to let another low-key sequel sneak up on audiences. Which is a shame.
Then again, this is Bad Robot we’re talking about. They always like to play games with fans, and I personally love it. What do you think? Is this the next Cloverfield film or no?
In a year where Frankie wanted you to Relax, Bonnie was dealing with a Total Eclipse of The Heart and people were wondering the correct way of spelling Kajagoogoo, three very important things were born; He-Man and The Masters of The Universe, The McNugget and yours truly. It was a varied time for movies and whilst my number one on the list was the main event, these other four will always hold a special place in my heart for various reasons.
Be warned, I have a very eclectic taste in flicks and at least two of these fall on the “oh well I guess someone has to love them” side of cinematic tastes.
5Yentl
“Papa, can you hear me?” Whilst her dear father might not be able to hear her, the rest of us got a visual treat as 40 year old Barbra Streisand stepped behind the camera as director and in front of the camera as an 18 year girl, who dresses as a boy in the pursuit of an education and accidentally ends up married to another woman. It certainly has some of Babs’ more memorable musical numbers and easily one of the more bizarre plots of any Streisand movie (not, however, the MOST bizarre – that goes to Nuts). I still have the soundtrack on my phone today and after a few wines will happily treat anyone to a rousing rendition of “Piece Of Sky” – costume included.
4Cujo
1983 was a great year for the “Master Of Horror” Stephen King as two of his novels got the cinematic treatment. Cujo for me goes to show how a very simple premise – St Bernard gets rabies and holds a family hostage in their car – can work wonders with the right director and cast. It’s a tense movie, with major kudos going to Dee Wallace and her portrayal of a mother dealing with an unhappy marriage, whilst simultaneously keeping you on the edge of your seat wondering if her epileptic son will get the help he needs whilst battling the elements and a 200lb Cujo. Stephen King himself has praised the adaptation stating that Dee Wallace’s portrayal of Donna Trenton, is his all-time favorite adaptation of any of his characters.
3Flashdance
Irene Cara made it into the charts and won an Oscar with the catchy single released from this energetic dance movie about a welder desperate to break free from her mundane life of welding and exotic dancing for tips by applying for ballet school. Jennifer Beals shines with her big hair, leotard and ankle warmers and absolutely steals the show with a number of high-intensity dance routines. As a young boy, I watched this more than any other movie and even now as a 33-year-old, I have it on DVD, VHS, and Blu-ray. I might not have the most conventional tastes but when I commit to loving something- I’m in it for the long haul!
2The Dead Zone
The second Stephen King adaptation of 1983, which started my life long love of everything Christopher Walken related. The story of Johnny Smith who upon waking from a coma has the power to see the future when he touches people and has to use this new gift to stop World War Three. It got a revival in 2002 with an amazing TV show, but this is where the tale began. Another truly tense and in parts terrifying flick which leaves you reeling at the end, I can still remember the nightmares I used to have when I watched it. Being a die-hard King fan, I always enjoy anything that sticks closely to the source material which this does.
1Star Wars: Episode VI – The Return Of The Jedi
I think if I placed this anywhere other than number one on the list I would be stripped of my geek card. The finale in the genre defining series saw the return of Luke and Co and the introduction of The Ewoks, who were such a fan favorite they even ended up with 2 spin off movies of their own. Admittedly this is actually my favorite of the series, I love the first two but I always felt that this was the strongest addition to the series due to the depth of the characters the audience had grown to love with the first two films. This movie has it all – action, romance, high-stakes and as mentioned before furry creatures who bring some lighthearted comedy to an otherwise dark final entry.
What is your favorite film from 1983? Comment below.
It’s possible The Walking Dead just began its primary assault. This entire season has been built around Rick finding the courage to rise up against Negan. There have been some good episodes, fleshing out the characters more. However, a lot of it has been meandering, merely hinting at conflict. This is an episode that actually starts to turn the tables. “The Other Side” is, quite literally, the other side of the table.
Sasha and Rosita are the powerhouse stars of “The Other Side.” The Walking Dead has kept Sasha as more of a quiet soldier, working behind the scenes. Rosita, meanwhile, has been struggling with Abraham’s death since the season began. While every other character may have pussy-footed around the Saviors, Rosita finally knew it was time to act. To make it even better, Rosita brings Sasha along for the ride. What follows is a great action duo, squabbling while fighting off the undead. It’s the same formula that made “Say Yes” such a good episode.
Granted, it’s not as jam-packed with action as other episodes have been. But it’s action that directly pushes the plot forward, inciting war with Negan. There’s also some nice time spent developing the relationship between these two women. Their relationship has, for the most part, been based on their separate relationships with Abraham. Now, the two get serious bonding time, and while it’s still based around Abraham, it’s more about them. He merely serves as the vehicle for an episode, with equal parts plot and character development.
The other characters in the episode mostly stick to routine. The Walking Dead only lets characters evolve in solo episodes. Daryl and Maggie have a crying scene together, as the Saviors inspect The Hilltop. It feels awfully forced, but it’s only a quick beat. What’s more interesting is how Daryl goes to meet up with Rosita, giving the team more muscle. Eugene may be a Neganite now, but he’s still defined by his big words and cowardice.
What’s annoying is how close we get to Gregory evolving. Gregory has been little more than a conniving coward since his introduction. Character consistency makes sense, but evolution is important. If anything were to change his character, it seemed like it would be Dr. Carson leaving. The moment between Gregory and Simon hinted at tension, but it appears that was all for naught. It seems like an oddly dropped thread, but perhaps it will be picked up again soon.
“The Other Side” isn’t quite as strong as “Say Yes.” However, both episodes work for the same reasons. It’s a strong piece of character examination, complete with action on the side. It’s also the potential boiling point the show has needed since Negan appeared.
(Also, I don’t know if this is something that truly warrants a discussion. But since many outlets have been reporting this, it seems necessary to bring up. The Walking Dead revealed that Jesus is homosexual. Jesus is among several homosexual characters, including Tara, Aaron, and Denise. This isn’t a big deal – or at least, it shouldn’t be. Some people are gay, some people aren’t. Jesus is gay. End of story.)
The first wave of reviews for Power Rangers have hit Rotten Tomatoes, and the film has received a 50 percent critic score so far. Read excerpts from the reviews below.
Owen Geliberman, Variety:
“The characters in “Power Rangers” have all the depth and idiosyncrasy of walking talking robo-teen action figures.”
Alonso Duralde, The Wrap:
“It packs enough zing to make you forgive the origin-story clichés. And the predictable save-the-world stuff. And the insanely ubiquitous product placement. (Whatever Krispy Kreme paid to be a plot point in this movie, they got their money’s worth.)”
Justin Lowe, The Hollywood Reporter:
“Israelite … orchestrates a vastly more complex array of characters, action set pieces and technical resources for a combined effect that maintains dramatic tension even while teetering on the brink of excess.”
Scott Mendelson, Forbes:
“At its best, ‘Power Rangers’ is a throwback to a time when getting a darker, more serious big-budget feature based on your favorite kid-friendly property, one that felt like a real film, was a rare and splendored thing.”
Tim Grierso, Screen International:
“A teen group therapy session disguised as a superhero movie, “Power Rangers” is numbingly predictable and cynically made, recycling myriad blockbuster tropes but draining their adolescent pleasures in the process.”
Are you looking forward to seeing Power Rangers? Why or why not?
“Saban’s Power Rangers follows five ordinary high school kids who must become something extraordinary when they learn that their small town of Angel Grove – and the world – is on the verge of being obliterated by an alien threat. Chosen by destiny, our heroes quickly discover that they are the only ones who can save the planet. But to do so they will have to overcome their real-life issues and band together as the Power Rangers before it is too late.”
of was dialogue. I understand the logic behind excluding music numbers from the live action remake. Obviously, singing while training for a battle will take away from realism of the scene, and film as a whole, but is it worth it to strip such an iconic film of what made it so iconic? I feel pretty personally victimized by the decision, because I’m sorry but if I can’t have the feeling of wanting to sing about kicking butt, I’m not into it.
of Mulan and Disney’s 1998 animated film.” While the spec script in question isn’t the one being used for the actual film, it can be pretty well deduced that Disney used it to inspire the script currently reported to be the official one-written by Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver (both involved in the writing for Jurassic World and The Planet of the Apes). This is exciting, due to the fact that the actual Ballad of Mulan was less PG and simplified than the 1998 film.
