“Stone killers with serious acting chops — but which of them will be chopped… by THE PREDATOR? (See what I did there?)”
Along with the photo, Yahoo caught up with Trevante Rhodes and he gave some minor details on what to expect from Black’s upcoming film.
“We form a bit of a motley crew. It’s what you expect a Shane Black move to be, set in the world of the Predator.”
What are your thoughts on not only the cast photo, but also Rhodes’ comment? Comment below!
The Predator stars Boyd Holbrook, Trevante Rhodes, Sterling K. Brown, Jacob Tremblay, Olivia Munn Thomas Jane, Yvonne Strahovski, Keegan-Michael Key Alfie Allen, and Augusto Aguilera.
The film is slated to hit theaters on February 9, 2018.
FX Network’s Legion may be based on Marvel’s X-Men comics, but that doesn’t mean it’s in the same boat as Arrow or Luke Cage. For some, there are just too many comic book based shows and films anymore. Superhero fatigue is becoming a real thing for certain viewers, don’t let that keep you from experiencing Legion.
In this age of entertainment, every comic book property possible is getting some sort of on-screen adaptation. For fans like me, it’s a glorious time as we’re starting to get more abstract projects. FX wanted to get in on the action, and it doesn’t get more abstract than lesser known X-Men characters; like David Haller.
Fear not general audience, Legion is not your average comic book show. It has nothing in common with the CW’s programs, or even Marvel’s Netflix properties. In just five episodes, Legion has transcended the genre into something outrageous and beautiful. It’s a triumph for comic book properties of course, but it’s much more than that.
Marvel’s Netflix series, Daredevil, was an accomplishment for superhero television as a genre. Legion is an accomplishment for television in general. It’s barely recognizable as an X-Men property. Fargocreator, Noah Hawley, has another thought provoking masterpiece on his hands. Fans of that series can easily transition, there are plenty of familiar elements.
Don’t get me wrong, the show does feature more than one mutant, and displays plenty of super powers. However it’s like nothing you’ve ever seen before. The show is a mind-game, it challenges viewers in ways no other show can. The superhero influence isn’t used as a crutch. It’s merely an element that allows the narrative to go to places beyond human comprehension.
The series has more elements of horror than it does of super-heroics. It’s a science-fiction mystery puzzle unfolding in the name of mutants. There’s no crime fighting, or justice serving. The story focuses on David, who may or may not be a paranoid schizophrenic. His super-human abilities don’t make him a Superman, they make him a nuclear warhead with a trigger nobody understands.
Legion has more in common with Inception, The Shining, The Big Lebowski, and Memento than it does with any other superhero property. If you’re feeling the very real fatigue of superhero over-saturation, don’t let it keep you from this stunning experience.
This doesn’t mean that comic book fans have nothing to grab onto. The show is very much entrenched in reminders that this is an X-Men story; they’re just deeper rooted. Dear ol’ David Haller is in good hands, Dan Stevens stays true to his comic book counterpart. That being said, viewers coming from Flash will certainly be taken out of their comfort zone.
Although we’re getting close to the 2017 Star Wars Celebration, it’s been announced that the event will skip 2018 and return in 2019.
“While we might be in the thick of getting ready for Star Wars Celebration Orlando, it’s never too early to start thinking about when the next Celebration will be.
Celebration is the official, definitive Star Wars event, with entertainment, interactive experiences and exclusives that can only be found at this Lucasfilm production. They are the ultimate community fan gathering as well, and friends will want to start planning to be together again to commemorate everyone’s favorite saga. The next official Celebration is slated for a location and date soon-to-be announced, in 2019.”
This year’s Celebration will likely debut the first Episode VIII trailer, along with give us possible details regarding the Han Solo spinoff film.
What are your thoughts on Star Wars Celebration skipping 2018? Comment below!
Star Wars: The Last Jedi hits theaters on December 15, 2017.
Yesterday was International Women’s Day, a fantastic day devoted to celebrating and highlighting women around the world. IWD is a great time to pick up new comic books created by and/or about women. It is also an important time to reflect on the contributions of women to this industry, and the continued obstacles they face. Publishing companies must be held responsible for what they produce. As customers, we must be responsible in what we buy. In service of that, here is was the state of women’s representation in comics for 2016. Spoiler alert: it wasn’t great.
The State
We took the 500 best-selling comics (106 unique titles) of 2016, sourced from Comichron, and then marked if they had a woman either as the writer or the artist. The result is disheartening to say the very least. Women were on the creative teams of:
17% of titles
11% of comics
11% of DC comics
8% of Marvel comics
28% of Image comics
43% of combined Boom, IDW, Archie, and Dark Horse comics
Teams without a woman sold an average of 82,896 copies. Teams with a woman sold on average a full 6,591 issues less.
This is a not-astonishing but very disheartening disparity. As a result, 2016 gets an F score for gender balance. You failed 2016 (surprise).
Some caveats
Let’s start with some limitations on this data. First, it was pulled from Comichron, which gathers estimates from Diamond Comic Distributor’s end of month reports. This does not take into account digital sales, or actual sales to consumers: this is just what Diamond is sending to shops. Also, anyone who isn’t listed as a main artist or writer was not considered in the team. This is not a remark on the contribution of colorists, inkers, letters, or editors to the final product; they are integral and should be celebrated and analyzed. But, there was time limitations, so we stuck with main writer and author.
What it all means
So what does this all mean? To make it clear right out of the gate: the wrong interpretation is “books sell less when women are on them, because women are on them.” No. Wrong. Go home. However, some reasons seem more likely than others. First, there’s just less of them. It’s nigh impossible to have parity with all-men teams if the number of women creators isn’t even close. Additionally, of the 53 comics issues created with women, 9 did not feature a woman. This suggests that women are more likely to be put on books about women, which are notoriously less advertised and supported by their publishers and shops. They are also purchased less by consumers. Which brings us back to you.
What can you do
You should do this every day, not just IWD:
The almighty dollar: spend it on books written by and about women. These are businesses first and foremost, and they respond to where dollars are being spent.
Ask for recommendations from your friends, local shop owners, the Internet, Monkeys Fighting Robots, me, and we will give them to you.
Speak out. Tweet or Facebook or email your publishers, and demand that they hire more women. Ask your shop to order more books written by or about women.
Read them, and then recommend or give them to your friends! That’s how you grow a base of support.
Listen. Listen to when women speak out about this problem. Listen to creators who discuss the problems within the industry. Listen to the fans who beg for their beloved franchises to be better. Listen.
Do you have a favorite book created by or about women? Let us know in the comments!
The Nintendo Switch is an amazing console. After just under a week with the system, I’ve garnered my thoughts into a lists of positives and negatives.
Disclaimer: I’ll only be talking about Switch hardware in this article. So, no, I won’t be raving about how incredible The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is.
The Good
Screen resolution – Critics of the system can make whatever judgements they want, but after hours and hours playing Zelda and Fast RMX in handheld and tabletop mode, I’ve had only compliments to make about the 6.2 inch screen. Although on paper it’s only 720p, in reality it look absolutely fantastic and is truly astonishing when taking into account how demanding some visuals are.
Joy-Con – I was skeptical about the Joy-Con at first. Initially, the tech seemed like a beefed up version of the Wii-Mote, which is exactly what Nintendo needed to get away from. Fortrunately, I was wrong. The Joy-Con feel comfortable and, although small, work properly for my hands.
User Interface – The Switch’s user interface is sleek, simple, and speedy. Going from the dinosaur that was the Wii U, this UI is refreshing for everyone upgrading from Nintendo’s last home console.
The Dock – There isn’t much to be said about the dock. However, its job is simple and it does it perfectly: project the system’s visuals onto your television.
The Bad
Lack of features – While I’m loving Zelda, Fast RMX, and the screenshot feature, I would’ve liked some other apps and features to explore. Considering that I can post screenshots on Twitter and Facebook directly from the system, would it have been that challenging to get those actual apps on Switch? I really doubt it.
Digital triggers – Call this a nitpick, but Nintendo’s use of digital triggers on the Switch is a negative for me. I’ve always prefered analog triggers, as they allow more freedom in racing games and genuinely feel higher quality than their digital counterparts.
Overall, the Switch is an amazing piece of technology. It’s selling like hotcakes around the world, and I hope the momentum can continue in Nintendo’s favor.
It’s International Women’s Day, a time to celebrate all the women who have done incredible things throughout the world. The real world presents us with role models like Malala, Elizabeth Warren, and Beyoncé. All around the globe, women are scientists, mothers, soldiers, and leaders. On that global scale, movies and television help us create a connection that just about every culture (maybe not North Korea) enjoys. For a long time in film history, women were relegated to secondary roles like “The wife,” “the secretary,” or “the maid.” Fortunately, with plenty of persistence, a feminist movement, and evolving cultural awareness, females in films and television are gaining the respect they deserve.
The women on our list are not only characters who kick serious arse equal to any male, but are played by some fantastically fierce actresses.
It’s safe to say, after a nearly 90 million dollar opening weekend that Logan is a hit. The “last film” (I’ll believe it when I see it) of Hugh Jackman as Wolverine features gritty, violent action and an epic, post-apocalyptic story. In the film, Logan protects a little girl named Laura who is a mutant. Laura slices and dices her way through the movie alongside Logan, going on to become the breakout star of the flick. The future of female badassery on film looks bright, like sunlight glinting off of razor-sharp claws.
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?
