Entertainment Weekly has revealed a new image from Wonder Woman showing Gal Gadot as the title character stealing a sword from her mother’s armory.
EW also confirmed that the sword is named “God Killer” and Diana disobeys her mother’s orders by stealing the weapon and heading to Europe to fight alongside man in WW1. It’s exciting to think that this version of Wonder Woman chooses to run away from Themyscira rather than leave with her mother’s blessing.
Talking to EW, director Patty Jenkins explained what’s happening in the above scene, describing it as the moment Diana decides to take a stand and become a hero.
“This is her moment, she’s heard all the terrible things about man’s land. But she’s also heard that mankind is in need and under duress. This is her great moment to make the decision to be the one to try and save them.”
Wonder Woman lands in theaters on June 2.
“’Wonder Woman’ hits movie theaters around the world next summer when Gal Gadot returns as the title character in the epic action-adventure from director Patty Jenkins. Before she was Wonder Woman, she was Diana, princess of the Amazons, trained to be an unconquerable warrior. Raised on a sheltered island paradise, when an American pilot crashes on their shores and tells of a massive conflict raging in the outside world, Diana leaves her home, convinced she can stop the threat. Fighting alongside man in a war to end all wars, Diana will discover her full powers…and her true destiny.
Scanline VFX has released a breakdown of the visual effects work done on Zack Snyder’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.
In the video posted below, we can get a detailed look at how some of the most amazing scenes in Batman v Superman were brought to life. This includes the epic Batmobile chase and warehouse scene everyone continues to talk about. The most surprising aspect of this video is to see just how many effects were used in the film, various scenes in the video show effects that look real in thew final product, but I suppose that was the point. Whether you like Batman v Superman or not, it’s hard not to enjoy seeing these amazing effects developed for the film.
Fearing the actions of a god-like super hero left unchecked, Gotham City’s own formidable, forceful vigilante takes on Metropolis’s most revered, modern-day savior, while the world wrestles with what sort of hero it really needs. And with Batman and Superman at war with one another, a new threat quickly arises, putting mankind in greater danger than it’s ever known before.
Are you happy with the effects in Batman v Superman? Be sure to let us know in the comments section below!
Two new TV spots for The Lego Batman Movie have been released via Comicbook.com on Youtube. Watch them both below.
The original Lego Movie took audiences by surprise. Earning a 96 percent on Rotten Tomatoes and grossing $257,000 over its 2014 theatrical run, we’ll see if this upcoming sequel can top its success.
“There are big changes brewing in Gotham, but if Batman (Will Arnett) wants to save the city from the Joker’s hostile takeover, he may have to drop the lone vigilante thing, try to work with others and maybe, just maybe, learn to lighten up.”
The Lego Batman Movie hits theaters on February 10, 2017.
‘The Autopsy of Jane Doe’ Goes From Father/Son Drama To Mysterious Horror Quickly!
There’s a mystique to André Øvredal’s‘The Autopsy of Jane Doe‘ that’s refreshing. It’s scaled back and minimalistic but never lacks any intensity.
The story of ‘The Autopsy of Jane Doe‘ is simple; A father-and-son coroner duo are working late one night when a mysterious body arrivals at their morgue. The whole atmosphere of the film changes the second our Jane Doe is carted in.
Things start off very procedural. Tommy Tilden (Brian Cox) walks his son Austin Tilden (Emile Hirsch) and the viewers through the autopsy. It allows for a more personal connection but provides some of the film’s most horrifying moments. They begin to examine the body, coming up with a theory early on. But the more they dig into this case, the stranger it gets.
“We are just here to find cause of death. No more, no less.”
-Tommy Tilden (Brian Cox)
For a while, I didn’t know what sub-genre this horror film would dip into. Somehow, the filmmakers made something we’ve seen before feel brand new. I found myself attempting to compare ‘The Autopsy of Jane Doe‘ to other movies but could never place my finger on it. It takes references from others while still remaining unique.
It does remind me of the director André Øvredal’s other major film titled ‘Trollhunter‘. He took a monster movie and made it feel personal. Now, Øvredal takes an autopsy and thrusts us right into the coroner’s room.
Most of the compliments for this piece go to the amazing crew. Working with about 3 rooms within one building, the isolation felt in this comes to life with the direction, cinematography, and score. Going even deeper, major props have to go to the art department. The highlight for me being the gore. The grotesque special effects kept the film grounded when others would have taken it more over-the-top. This movie knows how to engage without giving too much!
As the two examiners have great back-and-forth with each other, we learn a lot about the characters through their investigation to what killed this Jane Doe. Just through this one night of work, you get a great feel for Emile Hirsch and Brian Cox’s characters. Their different styles of working and perspectives about this case deliver the perfect amount of character exposition while also propelling the plot forward.
Their relationship works and never dives into unneeded tropes. Same goes for the scares. There’s a few jumps but they’re placed in-between honest fear and intense body horror. It goes with the whole subtle motif…having too many typical tropes would have blown up the piece and take away from the simplistic thrills.
Final Thoughts:
Maybe all the horror genre needs it a bit more subtlety. What ‘The Autopsy of Jane Doe‘ did well was deliver big ideas within a small premise. That’s how you get the most out of your film. Throwing everything at the screen and hoping something sticks can and will lose your audience but carefully picking out your moments like this did will engage more viewers.
Supernatural horror is cluttered with over-produced projects that the simplicity of ‘The Autopsy of Jane Doe‘ feels like a breath of fresh air. This is a must-watch for me and could be a late addition for one of the year’s best horror films!
Synopsis: Brian Cox and Emile Hirsch play father and son coroners who receive a mysterious homicide victim played by Olwen Kelly.
Genre: Horror Country: USA Director: André Øvredal Starring: Emile Hirsch, Brian Cox, Ophelia Lovibond, and Olwen Kelly
‘The Autopsy of Jane Doe‘ is available for purchase/rent on Google Play, Youtube, and iTunes! Find the film on Twitter at @IFCMidnight!
A brand new trailer for for Kevin Smith’s Supergirl episode, fittingly titled Supergirl Lives, has been released. Watch it below!
Unfortunately, a synopsis has not been released for this episode. When one is released we’ll have it posted here at MFR.
“Now, in Season Two, Kara has left the safety of being Cat Grant’s assistant in order to figure out what she really wants to do, while as Supergirl she continues to work at the DEO., protecting the citizens of National City and searching for Jeremiah and Cadmus. Along the way, she will team up with Superman (Tyler Hoechlin) to battle new villains, as she strives to balance her personal life with her life as a superhero.”
Supergirl returns to The CW on Monday, January 23.
Although the first half of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. season four being about introducing Ghost Rider, the second half will be quite different. Check out the recently released synopsis below, via Heroic Hollywood.
“On the heels of their encounter with Ghost Rider, their strangest phenomenon yet, the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. suddenly find themselves up against a myriad of new and ongoing threats: The anti-Inhuman Watchdogs are gaining political influence with Senator Nadeer, and uniting behind a mysterious benefactor. Meanwhile, unbeknownst to the team, Aida has kidnapped Agent May and replaced her with a Life Model Decoy. Aida’s evil plans for May and the team remain a mystery.”
Additionally, this B part of the season is being called “LMD”.
Have you enjoyed Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D this season? Drop your comments below!
Batman successfully breaks into the prison Santa Prisca, in order to extract the Psycho Pirate and take out Bane. But Bane has seized control of the prison and oversees all who enter and exit. In the middle of all of it, Punch, Judy, and Bronze Tiger all have their own agenda. And the deadly and addictive enhancement drug “Venom” is part of it all. Batman, Bane, Catwoman, The Ventriloquist, and Psycho-Pirate finally all converge. So concludes “I Am Suicide” the second arc of DC’s new Batman, part of the Rebirth relaunch of all of its books.
Batman #13 “I Am Suicide part V”
Publisher:DC Comics
Written by Tom King
Penciled by Mikel Janin
Inked by Mikel Janin and Hugo Petrus
Colored by June Chung
Writing
Last month’s issue of Batman was one of the best modern takes on the character I had ever read. And not so much the plot/chapter of the story, but the brutal reveal and characterization brought to Bruce Wayne. This issue, unfortunately, is a slight step down. Not that it’s terrible, as Tom King continues to be one of the best writers working in mainstream comics today. It’s just that after issue #12, this just seems a bit anti-climactic. The use of The Ventriloquist is great though and the small detail that not even the Psycho-Pirate can control him definitely elevates the character. Seeing Bane get taken down by Catwoman was also a nice touch. I also felt the scene with Amanda Waller in the Batcave broke up the narrative drive a bit, and could have been done as an epilogue instead. I also would have enjoyed seeing more use out of Psycho-Pirate, as it stands he felt a bit much like a loaded gun that never goes off.
Art
Mikel Janin, Hugo Petrus,and June Chung seriously can do no wrong at this point. The art continues to be a big highlight on this title, and it’s probably the best looking of all the Rebirth titles. There is a maturity, design, and structure to the layouts and formats that give it an elegance that is unique. And although there are less flashy moments in this concluding chapter, it’s still gorgeous. This team brings out at a great atmosphere to the writing.
Conclusion
This is still a solid book and a must read for Batman fans. The creative team is obviously laying groundwork for a long, slow burn story yet still dropping in enough attention to details and characters to make it rich and filled with substance. It’s not boring by any means, but there is a meatiness and seriousness to this title that I haven’t found in any of the other Rebirth titles. I will continue to read Batman as long as King, Janin, Petrus and Chung are all involved. Let’s see where the next arc takes us.
The two queens will fight to ensure domain over their new civilizations, while the Kongs must tear down the monstrous king of the island.
Writing
The Kong of Skull Island miniseries has reached its final issue. Wait! Turns out this series was so good it is now becoming an ongoing series. This is a welcomed sight given how much fun this book has been as a whole. It’s a shame it hasn’t been on more of the lists for best comics of the year.
Writer James Asmus delivers a good wrap up to the first arc of this new continuing series. A little too good actually as it really feels like the entire book can just end here and wrap up everything which has been introduced. This is no doubt due a bit of carryover from the original intention of it being a six issue storyline. Still there is a lot of elements and plots which can be explored upon within the setting of the world. Also, if possible, this book can serve to explore stories about Monarch, the organization introduced in the Godzilla movie, as Kong is scheduled to eventually face off against the King of the Monsters by 2020. This talk of more issues is already starting to sound like a very positive idea.
Artwork
The art team of Carlos Magno doing illustrations and color work by Brad Simpson is yielding some very positive results. The facial expressions and body language of the characters are some of the best they have through the entire series. The rain effect which is present through most of the issue is a bit distracting, but not to the point it takes down the overall quality.
Conclusion
The shift from being a miniseries to an ongoing impacts this issue, but still results in a very good story being told. The new concept and setting which has been introduced is helping to flush out the mythology behind King Kong. It’s a welcomed sight for fans of giant monsters and individuals who enjoy exploring the world behind an iconic character. .
Pablo Larraín’s Jackie is an intense close-up at one of the most iconic First Ladies, Jackie Kennedy. The film is anchored by tremendous performances from the entire cast and a stand-out performance from Natalie Portman in the title role. One of the more surprising moves is that Larraín abandons the typical approach to biographical films and keeps her focus on the events shortly before, during, and after the assassination of President Kennedy.
What was compelling to me was the lack of a linear approach in the film. There wasn’t an actual beginning, middle, and end, the film jumped around from pivotal moment to pivotal moment. Each moment more engaging than the next, which drew me in further and further into the movie. Larraín’s Jackie is a complex narrative where the former first lady is concerned about image, legacy, her place in history, and lastly how to deal with the grief of losing the man she loves. No one is going to feel comfortable watching this film and no one really should. They make many subtle choices in the movie to make you feel gradually uncomfortable as the film progresses. For example, there’s the scene with Portman washing off all the blood when she returns to the Whitehouse from Dallas. Of course, there’s the scene where the new first lady, Lady Bird Johnson is talking about the changes that she wants to make to the white house now that her husband is Commander and Chief (right within earshot of the former first lady). Mica Levi’s musical score strikes a sad chord as it embodies the melancholy a nation was feeling during this time of tragedy
Credit needs to be given to screenwriter Noah Oppenheim’s tightly constructed narrative. Oppenheim doesn’t seem to be influenced by any sources. He portrays the former first lady as a woman who lived a life of duality. There was “Jackie Kennedy” the former first lady who was soft spoken and the epitome of what ladies strived to be. Then you had Mrs. Kennedy who seems driven to be in control of everything a driven by maintaining a public persona. It’s a pretty sad tale of a person who truly didn’t have anything that was her own, not even who own personality.
Larraín takes risks with who the former first lady was as he portrays her hitting rock bottom shortly after returning to the White House following her husband’s assassination. In the film, we see Mrs. Kennedy go through her husband’s belongings and even going into the oval office while she’s drinking vodka (by what seems to be the bottle) and popping pills. It was a stirring moment in the film for multiple reasons. For starters, this is the first time the audience sees the former First Lady giving up. Secondly, this is the most human moment that we see from her in the film. She’s not worried about the public, perception, or whether the American people know if she smokes, she’s just a woman who’s world was just shattered into a million pieces.
Certainly, the talk of this film will be the performance of Natalie Portman. Portman tackles the title role with such ferocity and grace. She embodies the first lady in every way possible. Portman exudes the type of vulnerability that Mrs. Kennedy had to have felt during her time in the White House. Remember, everyone was glued to any details that came out of what known as “Camelot” (according to Richard Burton). On top of all of this, she also dealt with the reality that her true love was secretive and had ladies on the side. The last time Portman gave such a visceral performance, it was for Black Swan and we all know how well that turned out for her.
Jackie isn’t the sort of film that many will actively seek out but everyone that does will be rewarded with a stirring portrait of a woman whose world crumbled right in front of our very eyes. We get a chance to see the bravery of a woman who put everyone’s needs above her own. Most importantly, we get a glimpse into who the former first lady was, flawed at times and riddle with guilt (Just like the rest of us).
Over the last couple of years, Jennifer Lawrence always seems to have had some film releasing around the holidays. In 2015 her film Joy released around the holidays as did American Hustle in 2013. Well, the tradition continues in 2016 with her latest film, Passengers. This time she teams up with Chris Pratt as they play passengers on Starship Avalon traveling to the brand new planet, Homestead II. However, no amount of chemistry or quirky one-liners from Pratt can save this highly contrived and trope ridden narrative.
The film centers around the story of Jim Preston (Pratt). He is among the 5,000 passengers on the Starship Avalon who are in a hibernation pod chilling out for 120 years as their ship makes the journey to Homestead II (a new planet). 30 years into their journey, this ship is smashed by a giant meteor causing one of the pods to malfunction and Preston wakes right up. At first, he thinks that they must be close to arriving at their destination then quickly realizes that he’s up about 90 years too early.
Jim immediately loses it and proceeds to try anything to not only get help but try and get back into his state of hibernation. Quickly he realizes that this is a hopeless cause and decides to live it up. He drinks to excess, chooses not to wear pants, and grows a beard that rivals Tom Hanks in Cast Away. During his most free-spirited moment, he stumbles upon another passenger named Aurora (Lawrence). He, of course, falls in love with her at first sight. Preston scurries the passenger manifest and finds out as much as he can about her. His thoughts begin to betray him, and the idea of having a companion on this journey sounds appealing (I guess loneliness will do that to you). The debate then becomes should he or shouldn’t he wake her up (I’m sure you can guess what he decided to do based on the trailers).
She, of course, freaks out and immediately develops a closeness to Preston (because what other option does she have). Then as sudden as Aurora is woken from her hibernation, they suddenly start wanting to hook up. This leads to the predictable untimely revelation that Preston woke her up which in essence dooms her to a life lived aboard a space ship and not as she had intended. Aurora melts down and immediately shuns Preston giving the initial impression they will never speak to each other again. If only a catastrophic moment could occur that would draw these two closer together once again (sigh).
Morten Tyldum directs this highly contrived film. It was shocking that he was at the helm of this mess as he did a fairly good job at the helm of the 2014 film, The Imitation Game. Perhaps he’s best suited for character driven pieces rather than ones that are “action based. Part of the issue as well was screenwriter Jon Spaihts. Not only was his narrative incredibly contrived and extremely predictable but the dialogue in the film was stilted and tiresome. They say an actor is only as good as the source material. Instead of attempting to build a connection between Preston and Aurora, we were treated to conversation starters such as Lawrence’s character being asked by Pratt “if Slogans are true?” which seemed out of place and odd at the time.
Now many will disregard reviews for this film and see the movie just based on the presents of Chris Pratt and Jennifer Lawrence. This is of course what the studio is banking on, and it should still bring in a decent amount of ticket sales over the holiday season. I for one would hope that most people would rather spend their dollars on a film that’s worth your time rather than blindly pay to see something based on name recognition alone. Passengers is no better than any film currently stocked at your nearest Redbox location and should be available to rent shortly.
