Jurassic World 2 sees Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard return, and adds Toby Jones, Rafe Spall, Justice Smith, Daniella Pineda, Ted Levine, Geraldine Chaplin, and James Cromwell to the cast.
Are you looking forward to this sequel? Comment below!
Kong: Skull Island is a character driven, monster smashing thrill ride that’s visually stunning and just a hell of a lot of fun.
Summary
The film is set in 1973 just as the Vietnam war is coming to an abrupt end. A team of scientists (John Goodman, Corey Hawkins, and Jing Tian) is heading to an uncharted island to participate in a geological survey. To accomplish this task they bring in a team lead by a former soldier (Tom Hiddleston), a photographer (Brie Larson) and the commander of a chopper unit (Samuel L. Jackson). There seems to be this sense that the mission should be relatively easy and most of the crew begins to let their guard down. It’s at that moment when all hell breaks loose.
What Worked
The cinematography in Kong: Skull Island was fantastic. Larry Fong (Batman v Superman) superbly blends the natural setting of each shot with dark orange tones that not only heightens the realism but also adds a layer of authenticity to the film. You have moments where logically the image on the screen has to be a special effect, but the tones make it seem all too real.
The way they humanized Kong was highly effective. Kong was not portrayed as some unhinged beast; he was shown as the protector of his home. In fact, as the film progresses, it becomes clear that Kong wouldn’t have even made his presence known had it not been for being provoked by their presence.
John C. Riley is perfectly cast as the World War II pilot who was shot over Skull Island and has been stranded for 25 years. He provided some need comedic relief during the film’s most tense moments and provided background knowledge to Hiddleston and Larson’s character as they navigate the island.
The film was briskly paced and that helped keep the audience engaged in the narrative as well as efficiently transition from the scenes where humans were the center of the story to scenes where it was solely about Kong.
The action sequences are superbly staged and well thought out. Gone are the days of just a group of military men just blindly shooting at this beast. Kong gets the upper hand smashing helicopters, using his environment as weapons against intruders, and straight out ripping the insides of an underground beast (a moment that caused me to jump out of my seat).
Casting John Goodman as the lead scientist for the M.O.N.A.R.C.H. (a tip of the cap to Godzilla) was a great casting decision. Goodman has the range to pull off this character, a person who is driven to seek out the truth no matter what the cost may be.
This version of Kong left me awestruck. The detail they put into his facial features even down to the intricacy of his fur was mind blowing.
What Didn’t Work
Samuel Jackson wasn’t a good choice to play the Helicopter commander who loses touch with reality. He didn’t strike me as a Vietnam veteran who has lost most of his men, but he struck me as someone who is playing a caricature of himself. I half expected to hear him start spouting lines from Snakes On A Plane during the film.
At one point during the second act of the movie, the narrative begins to lose it’s steam slightly when we get caught up in John C Riley’s predicament (him being stranded for so long) and get into the origin of the natives on the island. I felt we already touched on his character’s issue and quite frankly, they could have quickly eliminated the natives altogether from the film.
Final Thoughts
Some critics are lining up to take shots at this movie. I’ve heard everything from Kong: Skull Island is hollow to it’s lacking substance. What exactly were they expecting? Did they want Kong: Skull Island to have the same depth as Moonlight or La La Land? To judge this by any other measure than it was a monster movie is ridiculous. This film is an exhilarating experience for all moviegoers and will provide an escape from the onslaught of divisive headlines that seem to be a mainstay in the news. Sometimes an escape isn’t a bad thing.
New Super-Man has quietly been one of the DC Rebirth’s strongest titles. Writer Gene Luen Yang has been turning teenage bully, Kenan Kong, into one of the most compelling young superheroes. This week the series reaches its ninth issue, as New Super-Man comes to America.
In the middle of investigating the murder of his mother, Kenan Kong is plucked from China by none other than Lex Luthor. He and his mentor travel to America in order to assist him with a superhuman dilemma.
Luthor’s complex is being spied on by a Mandarin-speaking speedster. In addition to seeking his help, Lex also offers Kenan a solution to his lack of control over his powers.
Everything about the Justice League Of China has been extremely fun. Super-Man, Batman, and Wonder Woman of China are all splendid takes on their American counterparts. Hopefully Kenan won’t be away from his team for too long, but it’s exciting to have him in American Superman scenarios for now.
In Kenan’s absence, Batman debuts his partner Robinbot. Another delightful addition to the cast Gene Luen Yang has been creating. Along with this new speedster and her compatriots, New Super-Man is full of fresh characters.
Yang deserves so much more attention for how entertaining this series has been. It’s a different take on the superhero genre littered with healthy twists and turns. Every chapter so far has oozed effectively charming personality.
Kenan Kong is a welcome addition to DC Comics and Superman family alike. The short interaction he had with Clark in Multiplicity was wonderful. Readers should be in for a joyous experience as Kenan’s relationship with his namesake develops.
Kenan’s developing relationship with his new mentor is quickly becoming the heart and soul of this book. There’s been plenty of comedy bits in the young series, but the banter between these two pushes it to a hilarious new level.
Artist Viktor Bogoanovic has done wonders in bringing New Super-Man to life. Every new character and environment is very much it’s own. Combining with Mike Spicer’s color, the series has had an infectious and light tone. One that also doesn’t lose its dramatic effectiveness. The action is exciting and colorful every issue.
New Super-Man #9 is a perfect jumping on point for new readers. The series is also still young enough to quickly catch up on. Every comic book fan should be reading this series; it’s too good to continue flying under the radar.
Have you been reading New Super-Man? Is Robinbot your new favorite Robin? Let us know in the comments below.
Season 4 of The Americans was a lot more John le Carré than Ian Fleming; the tension remained palpable, but the action was less overt than it had been in previous seasons. If the first episode of season 5 is anything to go by, The Americans will be continuing in that vein. Nonetheless, because of the aforementioned tension, I would never describe this show as plodding, and that holds true here, even if the premiere was a bit heavy with the exposition. There is a slow-burn at work, a feeling that catastrophe is looming in the near distance, and every moral quandary the Jennings stumble and shoot their way through brings them one step closer to it.
The final scene of the episode was a great showcase for what The Americans manages to do so much better than its peers; we had a seemingly infinite scene with Elizabeth, Phillip, and Hans digging for some unknown object. While it eventually becomes clear they are seeking William’s corpse from the finale of season 4, from which they’ll extract a sample of the modified Lhassa Fever, the show is willing to keep its audience in the dark, both literally and figuratively, for more than fifteen minutes.
That’s fifteen minutes of footage of a few people digging a ditch, taking snack breaks, swapping out with their comrades, and so on. There is no mystery for the audience to crack, no way of solving exactly what is to come, and yet the scene is brilliant. It’s tense for obvious reasons, like the cinematography and the setting, but also because we know what The Americans is capable of. We know something is about to go horribly wrong. If there’s another show willing to devote airtime to such a creative risk, I’m not aware of it.
I’m sure the payoff itself was, to many, something of a letdown. There was no “Martial Eagle”-style surprise that devolved into Phillip and Elizabeth battling guards and slaughtering innocents. Instead, Elizabeth had to put down Hans, a scene which recalled for me that urban legend about frat boys having to kill puppies they’d been forced to raise. (I hope it’s an urban legend, anyway.) She’d trained this kid for years, and the fact that Keri Russell was able to convey immediate regret and sorrow from behind a surgical mask is just one of the reasons her name gets the top billing for this series. The problem is that most of the emotion in the scene for me arose from Elizabeth’s reaction and not the loss of a character who had gradually, over the years, been demoted to a red shirt with a name.
Could the scene have been better if Hans had been more prominent in the fourth season? Probably, although if I’m being honest, I was never all that big a fan of Hans anyway. The immediacy of Elizabeth executing him, however, was a another great instance of the show’s interrogation of toxic patriotism; Elizabeth is willing to do whatever she believes is best for her country, no matter the personal cost. I wonder if, at some point, this will end up putting her at irreconcilable odds with Phillip, who is willing to go to the same lengths she is, but is always more concerned with protecting their family than the motherland.
The removal of Hans is also of interest because of its intersection with Elizabeth beginning to train Paige in self-defense. It is almost as if she traded one protege for another, although from what the show has told us thus far, Paige would make a far better spy than Hans ever did, even if she’s more morally aligned with Phillip than Elizabeth. Again, one of the most striking aspects of the episode came from Keri Russell reacting to something, with the quick, tiny flash of pride that washed across her smile when Paige learned how to make a proper fist. That Russell doesn’t have an Emmy on her shelf for this role is an ongoing source of mystery for me.
My one major concern for the show going forward is the future incorporation of Margo Martindale. While keeping Claudia on the show gives Gabriel the ability to do something other than mentor/manipulate the Jennings family, I worry that her character only remains on the show as Emmy bait. Phenomenal actress that she is, she consistently wins Emmys for this show even when she’s only in a single scene in an entire season, and this might result in her being unnaturally inserted into the plot. Then again, I trust these writers, and if my only concern is that we might get a lot more screen time from one of the world’s greatest actors, I guess I don’t have much to be concerned about at all, do I?
What did you think of the season premiere? Do you care that Hans is gone? Did you think the ditch digging scene was as brilliant as I did, or did it drag on for too long?
Entertainment Weekly has revealed a bunch of new images from Marvel’s Thor: Ragnarok. The first look images offer a new look at Thor, Loki, Hela and of course, the Incredible Hulk. This is easily the best look we’ve had at Ragnarok. It’s exciting to see the look at tone of the upcoming film and the style that Waititi is bringing to this film.
If anything is made clear by these images, it’s that Thor: Ragnarok will be one of the most colorful and visually appealing films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Thor: Ragnarok might end up beating Guardians of the Galaxy as Marvel’s most beautiful film.
Check out the images:
Directed by Taika Waititi, Thor: Ragnarok starsChris Hemsworth starring as Thor and Tom Hiddleston reprising his role as Loki. They are joined by Cate Blanchett, Idris Elba, Jeff Goldblum, Tessa Thompson and Karl Urban, with Mark Ruffalo and Anthony Hopkins.
Imprisoned on the other side of the universe, the mighty Thor (Chris Hemsworth) finds himself in a deadly gladiatorial contest that pits him against the Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), his former ally and fellow Avenger. Thor’s quest for survival leads him in a race against time to prevent the all-powerful Hela (Cate Blanchett) from destroying his home world and the Asgardian civilization.
What do you think of these images? Be sure to let us know in the comments section below! Thor: Ragnarok lands in theaters on October 27, 2017.
The 90s gave us a lot of wonderful things, but for those of us growing up in it, it still feels a little like a mass acid trip. What else can explain Moon Shoes, the mysterious ‘S’ symbol from our notebooks, or the contagious pre-Internet rumors that spread through playgrounds worldwide?
The movies of the decade don’t help, and for every Oscar-winner and Disney Renaissance classic, there’s a bizarre Baz Luhrmann or an adaptation of something that probably never should have seen wide release. Here’s my five favorite films released in 1995 and 1996, and they run the gamut from ‘sweet, heartwarming childhood classic’ to ‘whatever they were smoking, I want some’.
5JUMANJI
“WHAT YEAR IS IT?” It’s 2017, and Jumanjihas officially been out for 22 years. Jumanji, for those of you strange people who haven’t caught parts of it on TV, is about the board game from hell. Robin Williams’s character is trapped in it for years and only freed when the game is found by two kids moving into his old house.
What makes it a favorite? For me, it’s the sheer chemistry between all four main cast members as they take on various CGI threats. It’s not a movie filled with Oscar-winning performances, but the actors bounce off of each other with a lot of skill.
Jumanji is definitely weird, but by far not the strangest thing to come out of the 90s. A solid 2/5 on the ‘90s Acid Trip’ scale.
4MATILDA
“I’m smart, you’re dumb; I’m big, you’re little; I’m right, you’re wrong, and there’s nothing you can do about it.” Fighting words! Matilda adapts the Roald Dahl book of the same name. You’d be hard-pressed to find anybody in their 20s in North America who isn’t familiar with this movie. Mara Wilson’s plucky and justice-fueled Matilda is a cultural icon.
Growing up as a weird kid who read too much, Matilda was a common comfort movie. Even as an adult, the sheer karma of her victories is wonderful to watch. Here’s a bullied and ostracized kid who gets back at her parents and teacher, without once becoming actively vindictive or nasty.
Any adaptation of Roald Dahl is going to be quirky. Between a toddler getting thrown by her pigtails, the horrible nail-studded Chokey, and the entire sequence at Mrs. Trunchbull’s house at night, Matilda is a lot stranger than it’s given credit for. 3.5/5 on the ‘90s Acid Trip’ scale.
3THE BIRDCAGE
“I’ve never felt such tension. It’s like riding a psychotic horse towards a burning stable.” Where does one even start with The Birdcage? It’s a farce about a gay, Jewish couple who own a drag club. They end up pretending to be a “normal” family for a night to impress their prospective daughter-in-law’s family. It’s an excellent movie starring Robin Williams without being a Robin Williams movie, a feat in and of itself.
I can’t remember the first time I watched The Birdcage, but I’ve always loved Williams and Lane’s depiction of an old married couple. The gay jokes fly, but the point of it is that they love each other. It’s what keeps me coming back to this movie, even 20 years later.
Sweet or not, there’s no denying that it’s off-the-wall. Between jokes about Williams’ foundation, Lane’s exaggerated emotional outbursts, and the great ‘comedy of errors’ that is the night of the dinner itself – it’s a solid 4/5 for ‘90s Acid Trip’.
2ROMEO+JULIET
The 90s had no shortage of Shakespeare adaptations, good and bad, but Baz Luhrmann’s unforgettably tacky and charmingly sincere modern adaptation of Romeo+Juliet stands out. The Montagues and Capulets are family run companies – their henchmen start gang wars in the streets, Romeo and Benvolio play pool in baggy Hawaiian shirts, and Mercutio’s Queen Mab speech is a drug-fueled rant. Amid all the bright colors and gorgeous music, the dialogue of Shakespeare’s play is left intact, leaving readers in an anachronistic dream-world.
I love Shakespeare adaptations, but I love them, even more, when they’re as bizarre and entertaining as this one. Besides, who doesn’t love a young, floppy-haired Leonardo DiCaprio speaking love poetry with a smile?
Everybody knows how this story goes – it’s the trip that manages to be dazzlingly colorful. Edging up the scale, Romeo+Juliet is a 4.5/5 on the ‘90s Acid Trip’ scale.
1TANK GIRL
Long before Charlize Theron’s buzz cut graced the big screen, Mad Max already got its feminist spin in Rachel Talalay’s 90s adaptation of the Tank Girl comics. In the film, the eponymous Tank Girl is captured by Water and Power and teams up with Jet Girl to escape. They blaze through the desert wasteland of post-apocalyptic Australia in search of water, revenge, and killer kangaroo mutants.
If that sounds a little like stoner Mad Libs, you’re not far off. Tank Girl takes sadistic pleasure in its own bizarreness and is unapologetically a feminist power fantasy. It’s been a favorite of mine since I was far too young to watch it. Unfortunately, it suffers from a low budget and, well, the nineties, but it’s still a wonderful hidden gem that too few people even know about.
All of the above and the bizarre cartoon sequences take it firmly up to a 5/5 on the ‘90s Acid Trip’ scale. You don’t need to be drunk or high while watching this – the movie does it all on its own.
What are some of the strangest movies you remember from the 90s?
The major crossover event pitting mutants against Inhumans reaches it’s final issue. The X-Men fanbase anxiously awaits the nearing ResurreXion overhaul, this crossover was the last major event standing in their way. While it wasn’t the most effective event through every issue, Inhumans Vs. X-Men ends on a high note.
The Inhumans need the Terrigen cloud to birth more of their kind. With the cloud continuing to engulf the planet, mutants are at risk of extinction as Terrigen is deadly to X-Gene carriers. The final epic showdown between the two groups comes with the future of their kind at stake.
Big action, creative battles, deception, and major character changes make this book a worthwhile experience. Emma Frost is at the center of it all, fooling everyone into a battle to the death. She reveals her plan to exterminate all Inhumans in the name of her departed lover, Cyclops.
Frost emerges as a clear villain for the first time in a long time, not only of the Royal Attilan Family, but mutants as well. She even manages to make an enemy out of Magneto by toying with his mind. With older Scott Summers still dead, the “White Queen” no longer has a stake in Xavier’s dream. Her devolution back to villainy feels natural and earned.
Once the Terrigen threat is eliminated and Emma Frost reveals her agenda, the X-Men kick the heroics into high gear. The Anti-Inhuman Sentinels we’re a nice touch, providing the two warring factions with a common enemy; one the Mutants know all too well.
Medusa steps up a few times to prove why she’s a real Queen. She also ends her relationship with Johnny Storm to rekindle her marriage with Black Bolt. When the dust settles, the X-Men aren’t the only ones set up for a more promising comic book future; the Inhumans are as well.
Writers Charles Soule and Jeff Lemeire tie this event up nicely. Returning characters to their former glory and drawing new lines in the sand. “IVX” may have been drawn out and a little much at times, but the final chapter is well crafted.
Visually the final chapter of Inhumans Vs. X-Men gets the job done as well. The massive battles are stunning and explosive. It took five issues to get here, but once the fireworks start it’s definitely entertaining comic book action. Gerry Alanguilan and Leinil Yu combine to deliver what the event promised, Inhumans fighting X-Men.
Fans can share a collective sigh of relief as the crossover event has finally drawn to a close. Marvel promised us bigger but and better X-Stories and now it’s time to get there. Hopefully this dark period in X-Men comic book history can quickly be put behind us.
As a whole, “IVX” takes a long time to pick up steam. The middle issues were mostly kicking tires, probably Marvel forcing their writers to extend a shorter story. After all is said and done, readers could pick up just the first and last issue and not really miss anything too crucial.
It’s finally over! Time to move on and have fun with X-Men again! Bring on ResurreXion!
Did you enjoy the final issue? Was this event to your liking? Are you excited for ResurreXion? Let us know in the comments!
If you’re not excited to see Taika Waititi’s take on the God of Thunder the I’m sorry, but we can’t be friends. Waititi is possibly one of the funniest and more creative directors’s in the industry but a lot of people seem to be worried about the tonal shifts he’s bringing to Thor: Ragnarok.
In a new interview with Entertainment Weekly, the director reassures fans that this is still a Thor movie and although we will see a shift in tone, we will still love the character and the story.
“I think sometimes people mistake a tonal shift as ‘We’re just going to make some ridiculous broad comedy where no one gives a s— what happens and everyone gets stoned and sits around talking about saving the universe.’ We want people to care what happens and care that the hero succeeds. I think tonally it’s like a slight shift. I don’t feel nervous — I feel good about it.”
It’s exciting to see how excited Waititi is about the movie he is creating. If the director is confident enough in the project, it probably means they’ve made an entertaining film. I for one am excited to see what tone Waititi brings to the project and what new elements he will add to Thor.
Imprisoned on the other side of the universe, the mighty Thor (Chris Hemsworth) finds himself in a deadly gladiatorial contest that pits him against the Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), his former ally and fellow Avenger. Thor’s quest for survival leads him in a race against time to prevent the all-powerful Hela (Cate Blanchett) from destroying his home world and the Asgardian civilization.
Thor: Ragnarok lands in theaters on 27 October 2017!
Marvel’s Thor: Ragnarok is set to be a unique film in the Thor and Marvel franchise. Instead of spending more time on Earth, the film will show a more galactic side to the God of Thunder and will introduce a more threatening villain.
In its latest issue, Entertainment Weekly sat down with Cate Blanchett and discussed her role in Thor: Ragnarok as the villainous Hela. While the actress couldn’t say much, she did reveal some interesting new details, including where Hela comes from in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
“She’s been locked away for millennia getting more and more cross, and then, with a mistake, she gets unleashed and she ain’t getting back in that box.”
Imprisoned on the other side of the universe, the mighty Thor (Chris Hemsworth) finds himself in a deadly gladiatorial contest that pits him against the Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), his former ally and fellow Avenger. Thor’s quest for survival leads him in a race against time to prevent the all-powerful Hela (Cate Blanchett) from destroying his home world and the Asgardian civilization.
Are you excited to see Cate Blanchett as Hela? Be sure to let us know in the comments section below. Thor: Ragnarok lands in theaters on 27 October 2017.
Beers made to drink specifically in the shower. Grabbing a can of PBR could be a thing of the past, thanks to this wonderful and weird kind of way to enjoy a beer.
PingPang, a brewery from Scotland made the first actual Shower Beer. The owner, and founder of the brewery, Fredrik Tunedal knew this was a thing the world needed.
“The idea for a Shower Beer is a universal thing, I think,” Tunedal told Vice’s MUNCHIES. “As a brewer, I work long and hard days, and when I come home I’m often covered in malt dust (my girlfriend actually calls me Mr. Malty Pants) and the shower is a gateway back to normal society,”
“Looking through the hashtag #showerbeer it’s easy to see that people all over the world love that feeling of a hot shower and an ice cold beer. I just wanted to try to optimize the experience by trying to customize a brew for this glorious occasion.”
Facts
This adorable bottle is a tiny six ounce, that packs a 10% ABV. A Pale Ale, made to be a pregame to your evening, a relaxer after a long day, or just an extra pick me up in the morning. This wonderful item also doubles as a conditioner, making it an extra special beer.
The overwhelming attention PingPang got for this product was really unbelievable. It was supposed to be a one-time, very limited item that was only released in Scotland. Due to the overwhelming want and need, they decided to give it another go, making it a two batch wonder. Unfortunately, PingPang is not available to us beer snobs in the states.
Breweries and brewers alike, take note! This is a golden opportunity to bring in something new and different, and the beer world is willing to try.
This week take a bottle of beer in the shower and do not forget to rinse.
This adorable bottle is a tiny six ounce, that packs a 10% ABV. A Pale Ale, made to be a pregame to your evening, a relaxer after a long day, or just an extra pick me up in the morning. This wonderful item also doubles as a conditioner, making it an extra special beer.