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.
While films about an intergalactic rebellion and ones about bare-chested demi-gods from the Pacific appear to be dominating the box-office, it’s shocking that other genres of movies even have a place in the current cinematic climate. With Rogue One: A Star Wars Story poised to bring in close to 200 million dollars in its opening weekend and Moana showing little signs of slowing down, it appears audiences are drawn to more flash than substance. However, let me take a second to urge everyone to step away from the lightsabers, snap out of the hypnotic trance that drives us all to give even more money to Disney, and check out a film which transports audiences back to the golden age of Hollywood, La La Land.
Damien Chazelle’s La La Land is a sensational musical about dreamers and the passion two people have to see their dreams become a reality in the toughest town of them all, Hollywood. Most musicals are heavily song driven (mainly because they are based on some Broadway show), it appears Chazelle’s latest film is the exception. Rather than a big gaudy song/dance numbers like we’ve seen in Chicago, La La Land puts the emphasis on the fluidity of the dancers and the choreography of both the male and female leads. There is a surprising amount of simplicity in the film, and that allows the audience to turn our attention to what matters in the movie rather than lose focus.
What was utterly surprising to me was the amount narrative that was present in the movie.One might have the perception (as unbelievable as this might seem) that if a movie is a musical, then it’s all about the music and less about the actual story. Chazelle show the audience that one doesn’t have to even utter a sound to be able to project a feeling or an emotion that one might be feeling. The movement in this film is heartfelt and certainly purposeful. What was noticeable is unlike any other musicals that I’ve seen in recent years, we could see the whole body of the person who was dancing each number. These type of shots reminded me Gene Kelly and Debbie Reynolds in Singing in The Rain.
La La Land centers around the story of Sebastian (Ryan Gosling) and Mia ( Emma Stone). Two star-crossed dreamers who have aspirations of making an impact in Hollywood. Sebastian wants to use his passion for music and open up a Jazz club while Mia dreams of becoming the next A-list actress. Gosling and Stone have such chemistry with one another that it made me wonder why they haven’t done more projects together over the years. Gosling and Stone demonstrate such a commitment to the film. Neither came from a music background but each throws themselves into their roles with such ferocity, and the spark those two generate on screen engages even the most skeptical in the crowd.
Could they have cast two people who say a bit more talented when it came to either dancing or singing? Sure, but this movie wouldn’t nearly have been as fantastic. Chazelle didn’t just need two A-list actors; he needed these two particular A-list actors. La La Land is about the passion we all have to achieve the grandest of dreams and how life sometimes can get in the way of that. Gosling and Stone were not only the best choices to help project that passion but to show that when life derails, you’ve got to keep pushing to get things you desire.
So while seeing Darth Vader’s return is cool, it doesn’t even come close to how special seeing a film like La La Land. It’s unlike any movie I’ve seen released or will see released in the near future. It most certainly will garner much attention during awards season and leave audience members humming a happy tune in the end.
With the recent casting announcements for Star Trek: Discovery, I have Star Trek on the brain. So, how could I resist picking up a Captain’s Log Lager from Cameron’s Brewing Co.? I previously reviewed Cameron’s Brewing Co.’s Ambear Red Ale, so check that review to find out what I thought of that brew and for some background information on the brewery.
Captain’s Log isn’t named for the familiar refrain in many Star Trek episodes. Instead, as Cameron’s website states, it’s named for the captains who would use Oakville’s first lighthouse to guide their nighttime voyages. Cameron’s website also instructs me to drink this brew either by a lake or after dark. And, although the nearest lake is over 20 km away, it is after dark. So, if the computer is recording, let’s see how this brew measures up …
Cameron’s Brewing Co.: Captain’s Log Lager – First Sip
Captain’s Log pours an exceptionally clear golden colour with barely any foam. Its relatively lively bubbles provide a steady source of fizz. But, they don’t gather around the rim of my standard pint glass. I get a whiff of grains, a classic lager aroma, as I take my first sip. This brew has a very clean taste. Its fizzy mouthfeel sets off its semi-sour flavour that becomes noticeable on the finish.
Cameron’s Brewing Co.: Captain’s Log Lager – Last Sip
At 5% ABV in 473 mL cans, this is a pretty standard lager. As a fan of bitter brews, this beer misses the mark a bit for me. If you prefer easy-drinking lagers, I know there are a lot of you, this is a good pick. And, because Captain’s Log doesn’t offer much in the way of an aroma, I see no problem with drinking this brew straight from the can. With its classic lager taste, Captain’s Log will go well with lots of dishes, especially all-time favourites like pizza and wings.
A hot topic among X-Men fans is what approach The Fault In Our Stars Director Josh Boone will take with the upcoming project, New Mutants. He elaborated on this question in a recent conversation via Collider.
“We had loved this X-Men spinoff, The New Mutants. We had loved Bill Sienkiewicz’s run with Chris Claremont that had Demon Bear. It was really dark, interesting, and different from the typical X-Men stories that we had read.
After I made ‘The Fault in Our Stars’, we made Fox a comic book. It walked them through a trilogy of New Mutant films that would build on each other. We used this program called Comic Life, and took all the images we had loved from the series and strung them together to show them the movie we wanted to do.
We brought it to Simon and he really liked it. We’ve been going for the past year and a half to get it ready, and I’m about to go location scout and we have a release date now.”
In the quote, Boone seemingly confirms that Demon Bear will be the antagonist, which lines up with the rumor we reported on earlier in 2016.
Based on the director’s comments, he seems extremely confident with New Mutants.
Are you looking forward to this film? Let us know in the comments!
New Mutants will likely hit theaters in 2018, although no release date has been confirmed yet.
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.
