Score, Music, and Sounds Oscar Predictions for the 89th Academy Awards

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February 25, 2017

This is Part Four of the Monkey Fighting Robots’ Oscar Predictions for the 89th Academy Awards: Best Score, Song, Sound Mixing, and Sound Editing. My prediction system uses 25 years of data from awards and critics to try predict who the likely winners will be. Come Sunday, we’ll see how well it works. Make sure to check back after the Oscars to see if you beat the system!

Best Score: La La Land

Very unlikely: Jackie

The musical will win best score. Go figure.

Best Song: “City of Stars” La La Land

It’s a safe assumption that the musical will win Best Song, so the question becomes which one? “City of Stars” won the Golden Globe and the Critic’s Choice, so that’s where the statue is headed.

Best Sound Mixing: Arrival

Could be: Hacksaw Ridge

Less likely: La La Land

The system was fairly stumped on this one. The BAFTA, Satellite, and Cinema Audio Society Awards are good predictors for sound mixing, but this year is unique: Arrival, Hacksaw Ridge, and La La Land split them, which has not been done in the last 25 years. So frankly, who knows. The BAFTA carries the most weight here, so Arrival is as good a choice as any.

Best Sound Editing: Hacksaw Ridge

Most Likely: Arrival

The system picked Arrival for this one because of its BAFTA win, but I’m must disagree. There have only been three films in the last 25 years to win the Golden Reel awards for both sound effects and dialogue: Letters from Iwo Jima, Titanic, and Crimson Tide. Only Crimson Tide lost the Oscar, and that was in 1995. Hacksaw will be taking the stage on Sunday.

Want to see more predictions? Check out Part 1, 2, 3, and 5 of our predictions here!

What are your thoughts on the 89th Academy Awards? Comment below.

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Bill Has A Key Realization About The Doctor In New Doctor Who Trailer

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Erik Amaya

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February 25, 2017

BBC America released a trailer today for the upcoming tenth season of Doctor Who featuring new companion Bill — played by Pearl Mackie — and her understanding of the Doctor.

As always in the new series, the key detail about the Time Lord is this: “He says he’s a man of peace, but he walks in war.” It appears that dichotomy within the character will continued to be explored in the new season even as lead actor Peter Capaldi and showrunner Steven Moffat prepare the series for a new Doctor and a new head writer.

Meanwhile, Bill’s trepidation that the Doctor might be the “most dangerous man in the universe,” has not stopped her from joining Nardole as the latest in a long line of traveling companions.

“I’m having the time of my life,” she says late in the trailer, “and I wouldn’t miss it for the world.” A sentiment fans of the series will no doubt sympathize with. But will she continue to travel with him when he regenerates at the end of the year?

Doctor Who‘s tenth season debuts on BBC America on April 15th.

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Visual Effects, Production, Costume, and Makeup Oscar Predictions for the 89th Academy Awards

By

Eric Morales

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February 25, 2017

This is Part Three of the Monkey Fighting Robots’ Oscar Predictions for the 89th Academy Awards: Best Visual Effects, Production Design, Costume Design, and Makeup and Hairstyling. My prediction system uses 25 years of data from awards and critics to try predict who the likely winners will be. Come Sunday, we’ll see how well it works. Make sure to check back after the Oscars to see if you beat the system!

Best Visual Effects: The Jungle Book

I believe that Star Wars movies should win every Oscar there is. Luckily, the system is less biased. Considering it won the Visual Effects Society, BAFTA, and Critic’s Choice awards, Jungle Book going to take it.

Best Production Design: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

Close Second: Passengers

This category is hard to pick. There’s very few companion awards, and most are fairly new. I would lean toward Passengers, given that it’s more “Oscar-ly,” but the system says it’s Beasts, so I’ll trust it.

Best Costume Design: Jackie

Unlikely: La La Land

La La Land won the Costume Designers Guild award, which is a plus. However, the BAFTA and the Critic’s Choice went to Jackie, so the Oscar is probably going there too.

Best Makeup and Hairstyling: Suicide Squad

Who would’ve ever guessed that Suicide Squad would be up for an Oscar? Nonetheless, most awards related to makeup went to Jackie, which isn’t nominated. So, I have to go off the the Make-Up Artists & Hairstylists Guild pick, and give the DCEU an Oscar win.

Want to see more predictions? Check out Part 1, 2, 4, and 5 of our predictions here!

What are your thoughts on the 89th Academy Awards? Comment below.

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Check Out This New Hot Toys Figure From ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2’

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Aric Sweeny

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February 25, 2017

The official Hot Toys Facebook page has released a first look at a new Rocket Racoon figure from Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. Check out some photos of it below.

To see the full gallery of images, head over the the Facebook page.

What are your thoughts on this new figure? If you’re a Hot Toys collector, will you be picking this up? Comment below!

“Set to the backdrop of ‘Awesome Mixtape #2,’ Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 continues the team’s adventures as they traverse the outer reaches of the cosmos. The Guardians must fight to keep their newfound family together as they unravel the mysteries of Peter Quill’s true parentage. Old foes become new allies and fan-favorite characters from the classic comics will come to our heroes’ aid as the Marvel cinematic universe continues to expand.”

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 hits theaters on May 5.

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Simon Kinberg Comments On Dark Phoenix ‘X-Men’ Rumors

By

Aric Sweeny

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February 25, 2017

It’s been rumored that the next phase in the X-Men franchise plans to re-do the Dark Pheonix saga, and with reports that Simon Kinberg is in talks to direct the next picture, the internet has since put two and two together. However, Kinberg actually commented on the possibility of him directing the film, as well as the Dark Phoenix rumors themselves.

I’m a huge fan of The Dark Phoenix story, and I felt like there was a lot that we didn’t do in X-Men: The Last Stand, which was based on the Phoenix story. [Things] that if we were so lucky to get another chance, we would do differently. I’ve been around movies of this scale for over a decade now. The first movie I ever worked on was Mr. and Mrs. Smith. It’s five X-Men movies in, and there’s The Martian. I’ve been around big movies. To me, what would be new about directing would be having more creative control than I do, as I did as a writer, and even as I do as a writer-producer.

What do you make of his comments? Could we see Kinberg direct a Dark Phoenix X-Men movie in the near future? Comment your predictions below!

The next X-Men film has no release date. Logan, which is set in the same universe, hits theaters on March 3.

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Documentary, Foreign Film, and Shorts Oscar Predictions for the 89th Academy Awards

By

Eric Morales

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February 25, 2017

This is Part Five of the Monkey Fighting Robots’ Oscar Predictions for the 89th Academy Awards: Best Documentary, Foreign Language Film, Documentary Short, Live Action Short, and Animated Short. My prediction system uses 25 years of data from awards and critics to try predict who the likely winners will be. Come Sunday, we’ll see how well it works. Make sure to check back after the Oscars to see if you beat the system!

Best Documentary: O.J.: Made in America

It has won every single predictive award, in a category that rarely agrees on when a film even counts for consideration. This is a shoe-in.

Best Foreign Language Film: The Salesman

The system basically crapped out on this one, since only one of the predictive awards picked any of the current nominees: the National Board of Review went for the The Salesman. More importantly, the director, Asghar Farhadi, is skipping the Oscars in protest of the travel ban issued by President Trump. The Academy may not be able to pass up the chance to hand Farhadi the win.

Best Documentary Short: White Helmets

The next three categories don’t have enough predictive awards to actually run through the system, so these are just coming off the cuff. White Helmets seems the most likely, considering it has had the most exposure and has already been picked up for a full feature adaptation.

Best Live Action Short: Ennemis Interieurs

This is an intimate look at France dealing with its colonial past by zooming in on a French-Algerian man during an interview in a police station. If that doesn’t say Oscar, I don’t know what does.

Best Animated Short: Piper

Pixar hasn’t won this category since 2001, so it has been a long time coming. Piper is gorgeously animated, and follows such a cute little story, it feels impossible to dislike.

Want to see more predictions? Check out Part 1, 2, 3, and 4 of our predictions here!

What are your thoughts on the 89th Academy Awards? Comment below.

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Finn Jones On Luke Cage & Iron Fist’s Relationship In ‘The Defenders’

By

Aric Sweeny

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February 25, 2017

IGN talked to Iron Fist actor Finn Jones about the dynamic between his character and Luke Cage in The Defenders.

“It feels effortless. I kind of feel when you’ve got a duo like this — which is so hyped up by the fans — there’s a worry that it may be too oversold and you may be kind of trying too hard to create that connection — that spark. But actually, between me and Mike [Colter], we get on really well. There’s a really great energy between the two of us actors. He’s so much fun. But then also, as the characters and the way the scenes are written, it’s really interesting the way they are doing it and it’s a real slow build and it feels very real and dynamic and honest. Some of the scenes in The Defenders with Mike have been my favorite so far.”

If you were to ask me, I’d bet on the fact that we’ll be seeing the “Heroes For Hire” team up in future Marvel Cinematic Universe properties. The Defenders is simply opening the door for bigger things to come.

What are your thoughts on Jones’ comments? Comment below!

Iron Fist hits Netflix on March 17, with The Defenders landing on the streaming service at some point in the summer.

Iron Fist:

“Returning to New York City after being missing for years, Daniel Rand fights against the criminal element corrupting New York City with his incredible kung-fu mastery and ability to summon the awesome power of the fiery Iron Fist.”

The Defenders:

“Marvel’s The Defenders” follows Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage and Iron Fist. A quartet of singular heroes with one common goal – to save New York City. This is the story of four solitary figures, burdened with their own personal challenges, who realize they just might be stronger when teamed together.

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Cress Williams Cast As ‘Black Lightning’ In Upcoming DC Television Show

By

Aric Sweeny

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February 25, 2017

The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed that Cress Williams, who is known for his role in Prison Break and Hart of Dixie, is set to play Black Lightning in the upcoming DC show by the same name.

The outlet said this about the project:

“The drama, originally developed at Fox but ordered to pilot at CW, revolves around Jefferson Pierce (Williams), who made a choice to hang up his suit and his secret identity years ago, but with a daughter hell-bent on justice and a star student being recruited by a local gang, he’ll be pulled back into the fight as the wanted vigilante and DC legend — Black Lightning.”

What are your thoughts on this casting news? Are you looking forward to Black Lightning? Comment below!

Salim Akil and Mara Brock Akil are writing the show’s script, with Greg Berlanti acting as the showrunner.

As of now, the project has no release date.

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It’s Official: Patrick Stewart Is Done With The ‘X-Men’ Franchise

By

Aric Sweeny

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February 25, 2017

Sir Patrick Stewart has been portraying Charles Xavier in the X-Men films since 2000. Unfortunately, the actor’s time with the role has come to an end.

Stewart talked to Entertainment Weekly and revealed that he has officially quit playing the character.

“A week ago, Friday night in Berlin, the three of us sat, watching the movie. And I was so moved by it, much more moved than I had been the first time of seeing it. Maybe it was the company of these two guys, but the movie ended and — this is an admission — but at one point [Hugh] reached out, and he took my hand in those last few minutes, and I saw him go [mimes wiping a tear from his eye] like this, and then I realized I had just done the same thing. Then, the movie ended… and we were going to be taken up on stage, but not until the credits were over. So, we had some time to sit there and, as I sat there I realized there will never be a better, a more perfect, a more sensitive, emotional, and beautiful way of saying au revoir to Charles Xavier than this movie. So, I told [Hugh] that same evening, ‘I’m done too. It’s all over.’”

Are you disappointed to see Stewart leave the franchise? Comment below!

Plot synopsis: “In the near future, a weary Logan cares for an ailing Professor X in a hide out on the Mexican border. But Logan’s attempts to hide from the world and his legacy are up-ended when a young mutant arrives, being pursued by dark forces.”

Logan stars Hugh Jackman as Wolverine/ Logan, Dafnee Keen as Laura Kinney/X-23, Boyd Holbrook as Donald Pierce, Doris Morgado as Maria, Richard E. Grant as Dr. Zander Rice, Stephen Merchant as Caliban, Elizabeth Rodriguez as Gabriela, and others.

You can see the legendary actor’s last performance as Professor X in Logan, which hits theaters on March 3.

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Hayao Miyazaki to Come Back to Make More Films

By

Karen Walsh

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February 24, 2017

A sigh of relief and a tremor of excitement blew through the anime world today as Toshio Suzuki announced that the award-winning director Hayao Miyazaki would be coming out of retirement. Although the animator had retired, he has still been making short animated films. However, today’s announcement included hopes that a new full length film would be produced before the 2020 Olympics.

Miyazaki is known for his beautiful animation and heartwarming stories that often touch upon global issues. Well known for his environmentalist stances, Miyazaki often makes morality plays involving man’s consumption capitalist society causing the downfall of the environment. However, with films geared towards children or young adults, his movies are gentle lessons that help build up the next generation to be better than we currently are.

Some of Miyazaki’s best known movies include My Neighbor Totoro, Howl’s Moving Castle, Ponyo, Princess Mononoke, and Spirited Away. With 13 animated films to his name, he has won over 50 awards for his works. Although his Studio Ghibli took a short foray into digital animation, he focuses his work on hand drawn animation having dissolved the digital department prior to starting production on Ponyo.

In 2013, Miyazaki announced his retirement. However, this was not the first retirement announcement and, obviously, will not be his last. His so-called retirement has not been one without work. Miyazaki has since filmed several shorts and appears to have been spending time working with computer animation. According to Kotaku, Suzuki reported to the Kyodo News, “Right now in Tokyo, he’s [Miyazaki] putting all his effort into making it [the feature].”

At this point, no one knows whether the new film with be digital animation or hand drawn.

Are you excited to see Miyazaki come back to film? What do you want to see – old school animation or computer animation? Why?

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