We have been getting little snippets of details and information about the Blade Runner sequel, Blade Runner 2049, over the last few weeks. And now, we have a synopsis, courtesy of The Playlist:
Thirty years after the events of the first film, a new blade runner, LAPD Officer K (Ryan Gosling), unearths a long-buried secret that has the potential to plunge what’s left of society into chaos. K’s discovery leads him on a quest to find Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford), a former LAPD blade runner who has been missing for 30 years.
So this sounds pretty cool, especially when you consider that Gosling, Harrison Ford, and Denis Villeneuve are in charge of this thing. The synopsis also helps build some mystery surrounding the mere existence of Deckard 30 years after the end of the first film. Maybe he found a way to “shut off” the Replicant expiration date? Because, let’s be honest here, he was a Replicant in the first one. That was kinda the whole point.
Aside from Gosling and Ford, Blade Runner 2049 also stars Robin Wright, Dave Bautista, and Jared Leto, among many other recognizable character actors.
A trailer, or at least a teaser, for Blade Runner 2049 shouldn’t be too far away now, since all these little tidbits are starting to float out. It opens October 6 of 2017, are you excited to see where this new story goes?
Twin Peaks is headed back to television in 2017 – just one of so many reasons to get excited for the calendar to change – and now we have a new promo for it.
And it’s director David Lynch, eating a donut. So, enjoy…
This is the best thing for a Monday.
Lynch is, of course, playing his Twin Peaks character Gordon Cole in this clip. Or he could be playing David Lynch, who knows? It doesn’t matter, because this clip is awesome. It also assures fans of the series that we won’t be getting away from the weirdness of the original, as if that were ever an option considering Lynch is back in charge.
There is no plot synopsis yet, and I don’t expect there to be really, but we do know most of the original cast is back. Kyle Mclachlan, Russ Tamblyn, Dana Ashbrook, Ray Wise, even Sheryl Lee is back in the fold as Laura Palmer. Then there are actors like Jim Belushi, Monica Bellucci, all credited with one episode as of now.
Who knows where this thing is headed…
Twin Peaks will be back some time in April, 2017. Until then, just watch David Lynch eat this donut and your day will be 20% better than it already was. I promise.
Why Him? delivers a few big laughs and lots of little chuckles thanks to its leads doing what they’ve built their careers on.
For James Franco, that means being a free-wheeling, well-meaning goof. For Bryan Cranston, on the other hand, it means being uptight and easily irked.
The films gets a lot of mileage out of those two oil-and-water traits. But the schtick does get tiresome after a while, and you’re left with what we all dread at the holidays.
Awkward family time.
What’s it about?
Cranston plays Ned Fleming, devoted, tweed-wearing husband, father of two and the “Big Cheese” of a Midwest-based printing company.
His pride and joy, aside from the company he runs, is Stephanie (Zoey Deutch), his eldest, recently off following his footsteps at Stanford. As the holidays approach, Ned gets the surprise no dad enjoys receiving from “Daddy’s Girl”: Stephanie has a boyfriend, one she neglected to mention until his existence was revealed accidentally.
That boyfriend is Laird (Franco), and Laird can’t wait to meet the Flemings. He intends to win them over any way he can, but Stephanie, knowing how her dad can be, wants to try to control the getting-to-know process.
What follows is absolute bedlam. Buttoned-up Ned just can’t handle the tatted-up, potty-mouthed, no-social-filter Laird. Meanwhile, Laird, who wants to marry Stephanie, can’t figure out why he and “Dad” can’t connect.
Add to the mix Laird bonding almost immediately with Ned’s son Scotty (Griffin Gluck) and slowly winning over wife Barb (Megan Mullaly), and Ned’s on the defensive from minute one. “An octopus,” Ned comes to see Laird as, wrapping his tentacles around everything he loves.
It’s only a matter of time (and a wild party and lots of misunderstandings) before the tension explodes. Merry Christmas, Flemings!
The Art of the Uncomfortable
Before Cranston carved a new niche for himself in pop culture as Walter White in “Breaking Bad,” he played Hal, the man-child dad in “Malcolm in the Middle.” While Ned is a far more competent father figure Hal was, its tough watching Cranston get defensive and territorial to not think of the earlier role.
That’s not a bad thing, necessarily. Cranston’s cringing can be particularly funny, especially if audiences are repulsed or just plain befuddled right along with his character.
The strength in what Cranston does here is that he makes Ned relatable at all. Any male audience members who’ve raised a daughter would be hard pressed to not be rooting for Ned at least at the outset.
It’s also helps that Franco is in his full-on comedic weirdo mode. It’s pretty clear the story (by Jonah Hill and director John Hamburg) and the role were made for him, and he goes for broke having Laird push all of Ned’s buttons.
The back and forth between the two performers is fun to watch, for a while. Not every gag gets laugh-out-loud results — by the end, you may just find yourself groaning and covering your eyes.
Keegan is key
As enjoyable as the leads in Why Him? are, arguably the supporting cast delivers the most consistent laughs.
The standout here, as he is just about whenever he shows up in film, is Keegan-Michael Key. Key simply steals every scene he appears in playing Laird’s major domo, the Cato to Laird’s Clouseau, Gustav.
Gustav is butler, bodyguard, cheerleader, and life coach to Laird, and desperately wants to help him win over the Flemings. Thus, his exasperation with Laird’s bungling efforts comes to rival Ned’s annoyance.
Winsome Zoey Deutch is lovely and charming as the “Malcolm” in this Middle, and Kaley Cuoco from “The Big Bang Theory” also gets a small but memorable role in Why Him?, playing herself, sort of.
Worth seeing?
As far as holiday-themed comedies go, Why Him? isn’t the most enjoyable one out there in 2016. That title belongs to Office Christmas Party, which is more consistently entertaining.
But you could do worse than Why Him? if you’re looking for something cute and goofy at the movies on Christmas Day. If you’re a fan of Cranston and/or Franco, that will help with your enjoyment considerably.
However, if you’re not a fan of the F-word, avoid this film entirely. The F-bomb count in the film’s final cut must be in the triple digits.
Why Him?
Starring Bryan Cranston, James Franco, Zoey Deutch, Megan Mullaly, Griffin Gluck, Cedric the Entertainer, and Keegan-Michael Key. Directed by John Hamburg.
Running Time: 151 minutes
Rated R for strong language and sexual material throughout.
At the Walker Stalker Con this past weekend, actor Michael Rooker gave his thoughts on how The Walking Dead should end, according to Heroic Hollywood.
“A railroad track…going on forever, into the setting sun. From behind camera, a single individual walks down the middle of the track…into the setting sun. You realize that individual is Carl…all grown-up, a man of his own. No one else is with him—just him. And as he does his voice-over, you realize that all the seasons that you’ve seen is him reliving his past. So everyone on the show is dead. He’s the only survivor, and he’s on his own and walks off into the sunset. And that’s the end of the show.”
If you’re a fan of the show, how would you like to see it end? Would you be okay with Rooker’s pitch? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!
Lost in the holiday movie season is the stellar film Fences. This film is based on the August Wilson play of the same name and stars Denzel Washington and Viola Davis. This isn’t the first time Washington and Davis have tackled this source material, both won Tony awards in 2010 for starring in the Broadway revival. What was fascinating is that even though this narrative stems from an award-winning play, it never feels like we are watching something meant for the stage. Davis and Washington bring a vibrancy and raw emotion to the film that it seems more like we are privy to these intimate moments in their life rather than watching a two-hour film.
Fences takes place in Pittsburgh during the 1950’s. The story centers around Troy (Washington) a man in his mid 50’s who works for the sanitation department. His wife, Rose (Davis) is still devoted to Troy after all of these years (even after he begins to alienate her after they are together). Troy longs for the past when he had a promising career in the Negro Baseball League. Now all he does is spin story after story about how he could have been much more had he been given a shot. Rose still is in love with Troy but realizes that their relationship today is on shaky ground as opposed to where it may have been in the past.
The story of this film won’t be either the acting or the prowess that Denzel Washington shows as a director (more on that in a little bit), it’s going to be the performance of Viola Davis. Davis’s portrayal of Rose is nothing short of astonishing. She can take the rich dialogue of this narrative and understand in such profound and efficient way that it made me wonder had she dealt with similar issues in her life. Had someone slept around on her the way Troy does in the film? Could someone had devalued who she was a person? Either way, Davis’s portrayal transcends anything else that’s great about this movie. It’s not hard to envision a scenario where she becomes the 2nd actor to win an Academy Award and a Tony for portraying the same role.
While Washington delivers yet another excellent performance, what stood out to me was how gifted of a director he was. He showed great prowess for staging the film in such a way that had the intimacy of a stage play, yet none of the characters feel confined. The dialogue is rich, and that should come as no shock as the screenplay was written by Wilson himself before his death in 2005. Washington doesn’t complicate matters as he knows the real star of the film, the words utter by these characters. This marks the third time he has sat in the director chair but is the first time he’s shown he belongs. Perhaps being in the Broadway play helped him prepare to direct the film, but his decision-making in this movie shows such a level of mastery that he’s sure to receive the attention of voters in the Academy.
Thematically, Fences runs the gambit. While it certainly touches on the importance of family and the damage that your actions can inflict on loved ones, I was intrigued by the ongoing metaphor surrounding the Fence itself. In the film (and the play as well), Rose has been on Troy for years to finish building that fence around their yard, and he just keeps putting it off and putting it off till finally, he gets Cory (his son played by Jovan Adepo) to help him out. The fence in the film is symbolic in many ways. Rose mentions wanting a fence to keep everyone she loves safe and in the house. She also puts a figurative fence around her heart as Troy repeatedly breaks on a weekly basis. Troy’s whole life has operated behind a fence, and it’s only when finally get a peak behind it that we truly see the man he’s become.
One Punch Man got a lot of hype and became quickly popular, but I didn’t think it was all that good. The premise was interesting: a superhero so powerful that he had become bored of always winning. This idea was new and unique, but I the story lacked a coherent theme, and the characters didn’t grow to develop over the series. It’s one main strength was that it was constantly funny throughout the season.
So, when I heard that Mob Psycho 100, was coming out I admit, wasn’t excited. It’s by the same author, One, of One Punch Man. Soon, however, Mob Psycho 100 had a huge fanbase so I decided I should try it out. To my amazement, I was hooked. One seems to have taken some of his initial ideas and refined them into a story that is much more serious and focused without losing the entertaining comedic elements. His initial character archetypes are more developed and realistic, and the story is more emotional. The timing of the adaptations makes it really easy to marvel at how much One has improved.
The most striking similarity between the franchises is that both protagonists Saitama and Mob wear almost blank semi-emotional faces. The trope of an almost emotionless character is common in anime and has been done in many ways. One, however, turns his own use of the trope on its head. With Saitama, in One Punch Man, it’s simply that he’s so powerful that he’s become bored, lost all his drives and therefore feels no excitement. With Mob, the trope is different almost the opposite. Mob’s powers are so tied to his emotions that choosing not to feel anything is a safety mechanism to prevent loss of control. One took a comedic element from one franchise and turned it into a dramatic and actually tragic element in the next. When the viewer sees Saitama’s face, we’re meant to smile a little. After a few episodes of Mob Psycho 100, we’re almost in pain seeing Mob with virtually the same face.
The same comedic-to-dramatic switch is done with the theme of master and apprentice. In One Punch Man, the title of Master/Teacher is given out in an entirely power-based rationale. Saitama is the strongest hero, so Genos wants to learn from him how to be physically stronger, but Saitama doesn’t really have anything to teach. He doesn’t know anything, so he can’t teach anything. This concept is again turned on its head in Mob Pyscho 100. Mob’s mentor, Reigen, has no fighting ability to teach Mob because he has no superpowers. But he still has a lot of things to teach about life. Reigen’s is the more traditional portrayal of a martial arts master: He imparts important wisdom about of how to act and live in society. Reigen, unlike Saitama, is a qualified and competent mentor. Reigen’s teachings and his role as a mentor are important plot devices.
The tone of Mob Psycho is also a darker progression from One Punch Man. Plenty of characters are impressed or jealous of how strong Saitama is, but nothing in the plot isn’t driven people’s feelings about him. People’s feelings about Mob and Mob’s power are the major driving forces of Mob Psycho 100’s plot. The story is about what it means to be powerful and what different kinds of power mean. Mob’s brother Ritsu’s, feelings of inadequacy are a major plot element in the second half of the series, just as Mob’s feelings of jealousy towards Ritsu’s popularity are driving force in the first half. The Story id about the perception and definition of strength at a human emotional level. The realistic emotional take Mob Pyscho uses is very compelling to fans like me who weren’t big on One Punch Man.
Currently, One is not working on anything new and will continue to write both One Punch Man and Mob Psycho 100 for the foreseeable future. I look forward to seeing what other projects he will write in the future.
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story actress Felicity Jones is set to host the first Saturday Night Live of 2017, according to TVLine.
The episode will air on January 14, 2017.
Additionally, the outlet is reporting that Sturgill Simpson will be the musical guest.
You can catch Jones in Rogue One, which is currently playing in theaters.
“In a time of conflict, a group of unlikely heroes band together on a mission to steal the plans to the Death Star, the Empire’s ultimate weapon of destruction. This key event in the Star Wars timeline brings together ordinary people who choose to do extraordinary things, and in doing so, become part of something greater than themselves.”
2016 was a tough year. You would have to be living under a rock to not be aware it was one of the most divisive years in history also, especially for the United States. But I’m not here to talk about that. I’m here to talk about GOOD things. Because as awful as some stuff was, there was always the things we love, the great world of Pop-Culture, to bring us all together. So here are five things that made me happy in 2016. Five things that you can watch, read, discuss, listen to, and share with others to hopefully make things a little better.
The Cubs win the World Series
Even if you’re not a sports fan, it was hard not to feel something when the Chicago Cubs won that seventh game, in a 10th inning no less. It was like something out of a baseball movie. With that moment, the Cubbies 108-year-old identity as the “lovable losers” was shattered, and they instead became a real-life underdog story of Rocky Balboa proportions. It’s not hyperbole, as the Cubs had over the years been the butt of jokes and humorous references all through pop-culture. Who can forget the Back To The Future 2 scene, the infamous Playstation commercial, or the film Rookie Of The Year?
DC Comics’ launch of the ‘Young Animal’ Imprint
DC Comics was the first major publisher to try and appeal to older, more mature comic fans with the launch of DC/Vertigo back in the late 80s/early 90s. It was a gambit that paid off extremely well, as titles like Sandman and Preacher are now part of the mainstream. This year, DC once again tried a similar roll of the dice that also has begun to pay off. Young Animal, the new line of comics, curated by Gerard Way, does for the millennial generation what Vertigo did before. With four titles, flagship book Doom Patrol, reinvention Shade the Changing Girl, original creation Mother Panic, and Silver Age throwback Cave Carson Has a Cybernetic Eye, the line has built an identity and shared cohesiveness without being bogged down by continuity. It’s a refreshingly daring and original project that is bringing both diversity in creators and readers.
Netflix/Marvel’s Luke Cage
Luke Cage may not have the mainstream appeal of the Marvel Cinematic Universe of films, but it certainly has the most distinct identity among the rest of the MCU catalog. The show’s themes about race and local politics are about as timely as you can get. And the series feels like it was truly the work of an auteur. From the excellent music and soundtrack to the powerful imagery, showrunner Cheo Hodari Cocker, a former hip-hop journalist, definitely, put a personal stamp on the show. The acting by all the leads, especially Alfre Woodard and Mahershala Ali as a pair of villains, was nuanced and layered. Luke Cage brought a maturity to the MCU that makes it stand out and one of the best things to watch on ANY screen this year.
Down the Darkest Street by Alex Segura
As a crime fiction/noir junkie, I am always on the lookout for great books in that genre. The best always use location and setting as characters. Writers like Joe. R Lansdale, and Dennis Lehane, have made their crime stories sizzle by not only creating memorable characters but having their respective home locations of East Texas and Boston as much a character as a place. Miami native Alex Segura, with his second novel Down the Darkest Street, about journalist/investigator Pete Fernandez’s hunt for a serial killer, has done this for the Magic City. As a fellow former Miamian, I was exhilarated reading this excellently paced, beautifully written, and meticulously plotted book. Segura brought out aspects of Miami only a “born and raised” person would truly understand, yet also made the city a major player and setting as a potential place in pop-culture. If you love great mystery novels, this is probably the year’s best.
A Tribe Called Quest – We Got It From Here
A Tribe Called Quest was always on the forefront of hip-hop, with head bopping beats and mind-expanding lyrics and rhymes. But with We Got It From Here, their final album, they sound the most urgent and necessary they ever have. Released after the death of founding member Phife Dawg, the album features some of the most political and relevant songs of the group’s career. In an era where hip-hop is the most mainstream of music, this album reminds you why it is still such a vital music genre and how powerful it can convey message and emotion. It’s my favorite album of the year and an instant classic of ANY musical style.
What are some of your favorite moments for pop-culture in 2016? Share and comment below!
Recently, Patrick Wilson was cast as Orm, the evil half-brother of Aquaman in the 2018 DC Extended Universe Film.
The actor talked with GMA After Hours about why he joined the project, working with James Wan, and looking forward to meeting Jason Momoa. (via Batman News)
“What’s gonna be interesting is there hasn’t been the technology to back up the storytelling, I guess, for Aquaman. Until now. And for me, of course, I’m completely biased with James Wan, who I’ve done four films with — knowing that he’s at the helm and knowing what he … can do and what he will do, I’ll do anything with him.
I think the lure of Aquaman [is] because he hasn’t been overexposed on screen. And I don’t know Jason (Momoa) — I can’t wait to meet him. I was a huge fan even from the first episode of Game of Thrones, so I’m in — I’m in with him, and he’s gonna be fantastic.”
Aquaman heads to Australia to film this week, where 1,000 jobs will be created and $111 million will be spent.
Are you looking forward to this film? Let us know in the comments section!
The first image we ever got of Ben Affleck as Batman was a simple, but effective one. That was years ago. Now, director of Batman v Superman and Justice League, Zack Snyder, releases a new, but similar photo of the caped crusader and the batmobile.
It shows Affleck in a similar spot to that of the original image, so this has likely existed since 2014 but just hasn’t been shown to the public until now.
“Fueled by his restored faith in humanity and inspired by Superman’s selfless act, Bruce Wayne enlists the help of his newfound ally, Diana Prince, to face an even greater enemy. Together, Batman and Wonder Woman work quickly to find and recruit a team of metahumans to stand against this newly awakened threat. But despite the formation of this unprecedented league of heroes—Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Cyborg and The Flash—it may already be too late to save the planet from an assault of catastrophic proportions.”
Justice League hits theaters on November 17, 2017.
The tone of Mob Psycho is also a darker progression from One Punch Man. Plenty of characters are impressed or jealous of how strong Saitama is, but nothing in the plot isn’t driven people’s feelings about him. People’s feelings about Mob and Mob’s power are the major driving forces of Mob Psycho 100’s plot. The story is about what it means to be powerful and what different kinds of power mean. Mob’s brother Ritsu’s, feelings of inadequacy are a major plot element in the second half of the series, just as Mob’s feelings of jealousy towards Ritsu’s popularity are driving force in the first half. The Story id about the perception and definition of strength at a human emotional level. The realistic emotional take Mob Pyscho uses is very compelling to fans like me who weren’t big on One Punch Man.
