‘Good Girls Revolt’ And It’s A Fun Fight To Watch On Amazon Prime

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November 21, 2016

An endless war, massive civil inequality, and the role of news media serve as the backdrop to Good Girls Revolt. Produced by Tristar and Amazon, Good Girls premiered in October of 2016. The show begins in late 1969. The Vietnam war is in the midst of spiraling further into disaster. Although civil rights took a turn for the better on the surface, civil unrest is at a boiling point. And a growing need to cover the news of the world forced the male-dominated news industry to include more women. But inclusion doesn’t mean equal footing. That disconnect is at the heart of Good Girls Revolt.

Created by Dana Calvo, Good Girls Revolt roots itself in real-life events. The story centers around News of the Week, a magazine losing ground to younger, more in-touch publications like Rolling Stone. Though the need to update the paper is great, the boss doesn’t open the door to women. Only men are writers, and females are regulated to low-level roles even when their skills and experience are equal to or better than their male counterparts.

The battle for equality at News of the Week centers on a group of talented young women.

Patti Robinson (Genevieve Angelson) is a strong, emerging journalist. Jane (Anna Camp), a prudish woman from a wealthy family, and Cindy Reston (Erin Darke) a shy, sexually repressed caption writer. The dynamic between these women and the rest of their group is what drives the show. But Good Girls Revolt also features a group of male characters who aren’t merely stereotyped male antagonists.

Good Girls Revolt does more than just represent an important aspect of the feminist movement. It’s a historical drama about the counterculture movement that isn’t trying to win nostalgia points. As a historical drama, there are elements of reality. One of those elements is the character of Nora Ephron played by Grace Gummer. If that name sounds familiar, it should. Nora Ephron is a writer, director, and producer behind movies like Silkwood (1981) When Harry Met Sally (1989), Sleepless In Seattle (1993), and a lot more. Ephron’s character weaves in and out of the story as sort of a point of inspiration and confidence for the female leads.

The historical connection comes from the real life story of the show’s writer Lynn Povich. A journalist for 40 years, Povich was the first woman Senior Editor of Newsweek magazine. Povich achieved this after she and a group of women at the magazine sued for equal treatment. Povich’s lawsuit underscores the entire season as the girls gather their resources and gain allies in their effort for fairness.

Good Girls Revolt isn’t perfect, but for a first season, it’s impressively sharp throughout.

The writing and performances make clear the motivations of each character. It builds character and story momentum with equal balance. Examinations of feminism, counterculture, and evolving sexual roles for a foundation throughout the season. The use of an original score and music of the time is well-done. It’s also not shy about sex or drug use. Debauchery appeals to me, but it’s something to consider if you’re looking for family-friendly entertainment.

A lot of critics have compared Good Girls Revolt to Mad Men. It makes sense. The shows are period pieces with really adult, dynamic stories. Both shows feature a broad range of characters with intersecting agendas. It’s safe to say, with a comparison to Mad Men, Good Girls Revolt is off to an incredible start.

Season one of Good Girls Revolt is available on Amazon Prime.

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DC on CW: Week in Review – Is Kid Flash CW’s Best Hero?

By

Jon Barr - TV Editor

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November 21, 2016

This series will be a brief, semi-comedic review of the CW superhero shows. You can check out last week’s review post here, or see the tally of winners below. The only shows discussed will be ‘Arrow’, ‘Flash’, and ‘Supergirl’. There WILL be some spoilers discussed, so only look at the reviews you’re up to date on!

Supergirl, “Changing” (Nov. 14)

Supergirl CW — If only Dr. Ethan could help Flash with the Smoke Monster (http://lostpedia.wikia.com/wiki/Ethan_Rom)

Ahead of CW’s four-show alien crossover event, Supergirl fights a different alien menace. An evil parasite worms possesses the CW’s Al Gore equivalent, draining the life of climate change deniers. Kara coping with Alex coming out works for drama, but doesn’t feel genuine to who Kara is. The James/Winn dynamic continues to be amazing, even with cheesy “Super Friends” lines. Mon-El’s moral ambiguity comes to a satisfying head, and his capture by CADMUS should take it to even more interesting heights. Guardian is pretty cool, though it may be Supergirl’s descent into the network’s Too Many Metas conundrum. I didn’t see J’onn lose any blood in that fight, but this White/Green Martian blood transfusion might be interesting later on. My only real qualm is that I wanted that little girl to totally crush that car.

SCORE: 9/10 Space Wolves

The Flash, “Shade” (Nov. 15)

Savitar Flash — Just when you thought we’d met every possible speedster…

The Flash takes a lot of time to examine the ensemble cast, and works really well. Caitlin finally feels interesting and distinct, addressing all the problems I’d had with her in the past. The progression of Joe’s relationship with Cecile works, as it gives Joe more to do. The budding love triangle with HR feels hokey, but can work for comedy. The show drops an unsubtle hint that Julian disappears as Alchemy (Savitar?) shows up. If Julian turns up to be the show’s new Jay Garrick, I will be so disappointed. However, the highlight of the episode is Wally West. His desire to get powers, paired with his ideals of being a hero, serve as phenomenal motivation. The show doesn’t spend too long rehashing the Joe/Wally tension, and even brings some nuance and self-awareness to Iris. The Flash puts the effort into making the supporting cast shine, and it works really well.

SCORE: 9/10 Handcuffs

Arrow, “Vigilante” (Nov. 16)

While Supergirl and Flash have stellar episodes, Arrow falls more on soap opera tropes. Once again, the supporting cast argues with Oliver for no good reason. Coming off the heels of discovering Arrow’s killer past, being okay with Vigilante makes zero sense. Vigilante is cool, aside from having the most basic codename imaginable. The send-off of Quentin to rehab is corny, and makes the arrowhead twist from last week pointless. Spartan’s cabin fever feels like a cheap trick, as does Wild Dog’s surprise birthday bash. The leader of the Skull Bois spent too much time talking about how he’s actually a good kid to feel sympathetic. Arrow also needs to get a clearer hold on this Oliver/Susan relationship. The twist of Artemis working with Prometheus cheapens the great character work we’d seen with her last week, making me even angrier at Arrow. However, since the season so far has been quite good, let’s hope this is a one-off flub.

SCORE: 6/10 Skull Masks

WEEKLY WIN TALLY:

Arrow: 2.5 Weeks

Supergirl: 2 Weeks

The Flash: 1.5 Week

What show did you think won the week? Does Legends of Tomorrow take your vote? Do you think A.o.S. or Gotham outshines all the CW shows? Let us know in the comments below!

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Michael Shannon Puts Kibosh On Roles in Marvel, ‘Star Wars’ Movies

By

Ryan Malik

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November 21, 2016

If Disney wants actor Michael Shannon for their Marvel or Star Wars franchises, they’ll need a great idea before they can bow before Zod, according to Fandango.

During an interview with Shannon to promote the actor’s newest movies, Nocturnal Animals and Loving, Fandango brought up the topic of big franchise movies. Particularly his role as General Zod in Man of Steel:

Fandango: These days it’s all about those big franchises, though. You were part of the DC Cinematic Universe briefly, but is that something you want more of? Are you looking for a big franchise to come on for the long haul?

Shannon: Nah. When I did Man of Steel I thought the story was interesting; I thought it was relevant. It was about a civilization that destroys the planet they live on and goes looking for another one. Ring any bells? That’s why I did it. I didn’t do it because I felt I needed a big comic book franchise – I honestly thought it was a beautiful story.

Talk then turns to speculation about joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe or the Star Wars series:

Fandango: So no big Marvel or Star Wars movie for you then?

Shannon: No, I’m not really looking for that. They called me recently about some iteration – I won’t say – but some version of a movie that’s been made already countless times. They were gonna give me a lot of of money, but I was like nah. Big movie, too. But I have to think it’s an interesting story. If I don’t, I can’t do it. I won’t do it.

Sounds like Shannon has scruples. Not willing to sell-out just for a huge paycheck. He understands that without a solid story, there is no movie.

If anyone is interested in checking out Shannon’s non-superhero-centric roles, Loving is out now. Nocturnal Animals hits theaters December 9, 2016.

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Watch: ‘Rogue One’ Extended TV Spot “Jyn & Cassian”

By

Aric Sweeny

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November 21, 2016

A new extended TV Spot for Rogue One: A Star Wars Story has been released, focusing on the relationship between Jyn Erso and Cassian Andor. Watch it below.

“From Lucasfilm comes the first of the Star Wars standalone films, ‘Rogue One: A Star Wars Story,’ an all-new epic adventure. 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.”

Rogue One stars Felicity Jones, Diego Luna, Donnie Yen, Forest Whitaker, Mads Mikkelson, Ben Mendelsohn, and James Earl Jones.

The film hits theaters on December 16.

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Get the Smurf out! ‘Smurfs: The Lost Village’ Full Trailer

By

Matthew Sardo

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November 21, 2016

Sony Pictures Monday morning released the first full trailer for the animated film ‘Smurfs: The Lost Village’ due out next spring.

Synopsis:
In this fully animated, all-new take on the Smurfs, a mysterious map sets Smurfette and her best friends Brainy, Clumsy and Hefty on an exciting and thrilling race through the Forbidden Forest filled with magical creatures to find a mysterious lost village before the evil wizard Gargamel does. Embarking on a rollercoaster journey full of action and danger, the Smurfs are on a course that leads to the discovery of the biggest secret in Smurf history!

‘Smurfs: The Lost Village’ is directed by Kelly Asbury, from a screenplay by Stacey Harman and Pamela Ribon. The film stars Demi Lovato (Smurfette), Rainn Wilson (Gargamel), Joe Manganiello (Hefty), Jack McBrayer (Clumsy), Danny Pudi (Brainy), with Mandy Patinkin (Papa Smurf).

‘Smurfs: The Lost Village’ is based on the characters and works of Peyo.

The Smurfs strike back on April 7, 2017.

Who’s your favorite Smurf? Comment below.

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Bring Out Your Dead: John Cleese May Be Joining DCEU

By

Ryan Malik

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November 21, 2016

There is scuttlebutt concerning that legendary comedian John Cleese is joining the DCEU, according to Movieweb.com.

The site reports that Twitter-user Dennis Lamb points out that the accounts for Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice and cinematographer Clay Enos have both followed Cleese recently. Cleese is, of course, most well-known for his time with Monty Python, Fawlty Towers, and taking over the role of Q in Pierce Brosnan’s last two James Bond movies.

Take this news with a grain of salt, but it is a theory that the site can back-up. They point to the rumors about Joe Manganiello being cast as Deathstroke in Ben Affleck’s The Batman long before any official announcement. Apparently before this news broke, several DC-related accounts began following Manganiello. Could be a coincidence.

Or maybe it isn’t.

Who Cleese would play is a toss-up. Jeremy Irons already plays Alfred Pennyworth, but my knowledge of supporting British characters in the DC Universe ends there. Besides Justice League and The Batman, the DCEU plans on making individual movies for Wonder Woman, Aquaman (July 27, 2018), The Flash (March 16, 2018), Cyborg (April 3, 2020), and Green Lantern Corps. (July 24, 2020).

The first of these to hit theaters is Wonder Woman, on June 7, 2017. Gal Godot plays the Amazonian warrior under direction by Patty Jenkins. The screenplay is written by Allen Heinberg and Geoff Johns.

After that, Justice League opens on November 17, 2017. It stars Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill, and Gal Godot returning to play Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman, respectively. Zack Snyder directs from a screenplay written by Chris Terrio.

No theatrical release date is set for The Batman as of now.

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New ‘Logan’ Image Teases Shoot-Out

By

Aric Sweeny

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November 21, 2016

We’re under 5 months away from Hugh Jackman’s departure as Wolverine and the marketing has been consistently putting out content. Adding to the gallery of images we’ve already seen, the official Logan Instagram recently dropped this photo.

Bullet

A post shared by @wponx on Nov 19, 2016 at 7:23am PST

The car shown in the photo has numerous bullet holes in it, which leads me to believe this will be a large-scale action set piece. Additionally, we see Logan driving Professor X and X-23 in the trailer – could this be the car he was driving? Only time will tell.

Logan hits theaters on March 3, 2017.

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Bautista Hints At More Howard The Duck In ‘Guardians Of The Galaxy’

By

EJ Moreno

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November 21, 2016

Could There Be More Of Marvel’s Most Infamous Character Howard The Duck?

After appearing in the post credits scene of the first ‘Guardians Of The Galaxy‘ film, questions about Howard The Duck are plentiful. Will he appear in other films or was this a one-time thing? One of the stars of the film Dave Bautista drops some hints about the future of the master of Quack-Fu.

“As long as there’s a James Gunn directing the film, there’s a possibility of a Howard the Duck,”
-Dave Bautista (Comicbook.com Interview)

While this isn’t a definitive answer, it isn’t the first time Howard The Duck has been referenced by a member of the crew. Director James Gunn has spoken about him during an interview shortly after the ‘Guardians Of The Galaxy‘ release. “It’s possible Howard could reappear as more of a character in the Marvel Universe. But if people think that’s going to lead to a Howard The Duck movie, that’s probably not going to happen in the next four years. Who knows after that?”

Even George Lucas, the man involved with originally bringing Howard to the screen, said he thinks a remake could happen soon.

Is there a cameo or a solo film in the works for Howard The Duck?

Let me know in the comments below if you want more of him in the MCU!

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Ray Fisher Talks His Introduction To The Character of Cyborg

By

Aric Sweeny

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November 20, 2016

Cyborg actor Ray Fisher recently attended Rhode Island Comic-Con and he talked about the character’s influence on him, and how he got introduced to the character.

“I actually grew up watching a lot of these cartoons – a lot of the animated series. Batman: The Animated Series, Justice League, all the stuff that would come onto Cartoon Network. My first encounter with Cyborg was through the Teen Titans cartoon.”

“You know, I was in the middle of high school [when Teen Titans debuted], and I was like, ‘This show speaks to me’ because there were all of these characters going through these real teen issues while also saving the world. The extent of my knowledge was just about that.”

“Once I was cast, though, they send you a whole library of stuff about the character so I ended up being able to fall in love with the comic book version, which can be very different. I feel like I know him like the back of my hand, but there’s always somebody who knows a little more than me about things.”

Judging from his comments it seems as though we can expect to see a portrayal of Cyborg that is straight out of the Teen Titans cartoon, as well as the comics.

What are your thoughts on the comparisons he made? Are you excited to see Cyborg in next year’s Justice League? Leave us a comment down below!

Justice League hits theaters on November 17, 2017.

Source: Comicbook.com.

Ray

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Gal Gadot Talks Her First Time Donning The ‘Wonder Woman’ Costume

By

Aric Sweeny

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November 20, 2016

While at Rhode Island Comic-Con, Wonder Woman actress Gal Gadot talked about her first time wearing the famous costume and seeing posters of herself as the character.

“ [The suit was] Tight. Very, very, very, very tight. The very-very first time I tried the costume on was three days after I got cast. And they flew me to Michigan, and I got into this huge hangar. Huge, with tons of white walls covered with posters of me as Wonder Woman. I got into the room and I couldn’t stop looking at the posters.

And then, when they wanted me to try on the costume—because I was so excited that they cast me for the role—I couldn’t say anthing; I couldn’t breathe, but I was like, ‘That’s okay. That’s fine.’ It was really-really tight, and we adjusted it. And I love the costume. I think, it complements Wonder Woman very much so, as being the greatest warrior out there. And now it’s much more comfortable.”

It’s no surprise that the outfit was tight, but you’d assume that throughout the filming process each character’s look and costume design would be fitted properly to each actor or actress.

See Gadot next as Diana Prince in Wonder Woman, which hits theaters on June 2, 2017.

Source: Heroic Hollywood.

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The battle for equality at News of the Week centers on a group of talented young women.

Good Girls Revolt isn’t perfect, but for a first season, it’s impressively sharp throughout.

Could There Be More Of Marvel’s Most Infamous Character Howard The Duck?

“As long as there’s a James Gunn directing the film, there’s a possibility of a Howard the Duck,” -Dave Bautista (Comicbook.com Interview)

“As long as there’s a James Gunn directing the film, there’s a possibility of a Howard the Duck,”
-Dave Bautista (Comicbook.com Interview)