Thea Queen back in full on Speedy mode? Yes Please!
Currently in the 5th season of ‘Arrow’, Thea AKA Speedy has taken a back seat when it comes to Team Arrow. Oliver has recruited new good doers to help with the team, battle fights both old and new. However, it isn’t going as smoothly as he would have liked.
This weekend the Heroes and Villians fan fest, ‘Arrow’ stars were in line, graciously answering questions for fans. Willa Holland who plays Thea Queen got asked the question everyone wanted to know.
“The crossover photos have leaked out…You see that I put my costume back on after 8 episodes of not wearing it… I have a feeling she’s going to be periodically putting it back on whenever it’s necessary.”
Speedy, we miss you! It also is apparent she misses herself too.
“Yeah, I definitely do! I miss that leather outfit a lot,” Holland said. “I miss being in the Arrowcave. I miss shooting on set all the time.”
Good news for ‘Arrow’ fans.
The four part cross over event starts on November 28th with ‘Supergirl’ and goes the week through ‘The Flash’, ‘DC’s Legends of Tomorrow’ and ‘Arrow.’
We can expect twists and turns during ‘Invasion’ which comicbook.com gives its description of here.
Oliver (Stephen Amell) wakes up to a life where he never got on The Queen’s Gambit. Robert (guest star Jamey Sheridan) and Moira Queen (guest star Susanna Thompson) are alive and well. Laurel (guest star Katie Cassidy) is his loving fiancée and their wedding is imminent. Everything seems perfect, but Oliver starts to notice small imperfections that make him question this new reality. Meanwhile, Felicity (Emily Bett Rickards) and the recruits take on a new threat with help from The Flash (guest star Grant Gustin) and Supergirl (guest star Melissa Benoist).
John Diggle had his future changed, thanks to Barry Allen. Worries of power abuse and concern are going through his head. Are Diggle’s instincts right?
From baby daughter Sara, to John Diggle Jr, all because of Flashpoint. Barry going and making an alternate universe not only affected Team Flash, but it spread to Team Arrow as well. One small choice for Barry lead to huge changes for everyone he knew.
Flashpoint details divulged in the cross over event? Absolutely.
According to my source, at the Heroes and Villians convention, we got to hear from David Ramsey who plays Diggle, about Flashpoint.
“It’s a great story point, you’ll see Diggle’s reaction to once having a daughter in the big four week crossover. From his perspective, there’s only been John Jr.; Sara never existed for him. He’s not gonna be angry. He’s gonna be much more concerned about Barry’s misuse of his powers.
Since Flashpoint, we haven’t been able to see much of the Arrowverse changes, and it will be interesting to see how Diggle deals with this.
“Invasion” the four-part cross over event begins on Monday, November 28th with ‘Supergirl. It then goes on to ‘The Flash’, ‘DC’s Legends of Tomorrow’ and ‘Arrow.’
“When aliens called the Dominators attack Central City, Barry speeds over to Star City to ask the Green Arrow for help in stopping them. Realizing the battle against the Dominators is bigger than they thought, they track down the Legends of Tomorrow, and Barry and Cisco create a breach to bring back a secret weapon – Supergirl. Once all of the super friends are assembled, they come up with a plan to attack but a shocking secret related to Flashpoint is revealed and suddenly no one is sure who they can trust. Meanwhile, Wally wants to join the battle against the aliens but Iris tells him he’s not ready.”- comicbook.com
The Bizarre Brilliance That Is ‘The Handmaiden’ is Director Park Chan-wook At His Very Best
By the time the credits rolled on ‘The Handmaiden‘, I was confused on how it did not win the Palme d’OR at Cannes this year. A film hasn’t moved me like this in a very long time. Not only does it touch on queer stories and shock art but it’s also a stunning period piece. Cinema rarely gets something this insanely amazing.
The intricate story is one of the best parts of the film. Adapted from the novel Fingersmith, it takes that Victorian-era drama and sets it in 1930’s Korea being run by Japan. What screenwriters Park Chan-wook and Chung Seo-kyung do are blend elements of the original work with rich Asian culture.
Along with acting out a great script, the cast works amazingly well under Park Chan-wook’s direction. He brings his refined filmmaking skills to ‘The Handmaiden‘ and the cast put all of themselves into the performances. I especially love the way Park Chan-wook allowed Kim Tae-ri to shine as pick-pocket Sook-hee. From exploring her sexuality to a deep deception, there is such a layered performance from her. That’s something I love about the Park Chan-wook filmography; the female-led films are brilliant and really his strong suit.
Probably the strongest attributes about this film is the cinematography. There are some films where every frame of it feels calculated and almost like a photograph. Stanley Kubrick is known for it, and these days so is Park Chan-wook. With his long-time cinematographer Chung Chung-hoon, not one second of ‘The Handmaiden‘ is wasted. Scenes linger for the perfect amount of time, the framing is on point, and everything has a surreal texture.
“Even like this, dying is a luxury.”
I’m very adamant about introducing these type of brilliant Korean thrillers to mainstream American audiences. The power and finesse shown in films like ‘The Handmaiden’ makes me appreciate cinema all over again.
The boldest move made is the queer storyline involved. The complicated story of Hideko and Sook-Hee, while as insane as it is, still feels grounded. Rarely can something this over-the-top still seem believable at times. The whole film comes off like a balancing act with scenes so perverse but also so visually striking. Even when things are too bizarre, you still can’t keep your eyes off it.
That’s how you make a lasting impression.
Final Thoughts:
‘The Handmaiden‘ is one of the year’s few must-see movies. There is something for everyone in this. Rarely can a film be able to successful reach both arthouse and commercial fans alike. It’s one of those films that everything comes together to create an outstanding piece. While the leadership shown from director and writer Park Chan-wook is commendable, this is obviously a team effort.
There is no doubt that this one of the best films of 2016.
Synopsis: With help from an orphaned pickpocket (Kim Tae-ri), a Korean con man (Ha Jung-woo) devises an elaborate plot to seduce and bilk a Japanese woman (Kim Min-hee) out of her inheritance.
Genre: Erotic Thriller Country: Korea Director: Park Chan-wook Starring: Kim Min-hee, Kim Tae-ri, Ha Jung-woo, Cho Jin-woong
Since WWE Released The Trailer For Their Best PPV Matches DVD, Here’s The 5 Best So Far.
This year has been jammed pack with amazing PPV matches from WWE. It feels like the New Era has finally kicked off and the tides are turning.
2016 isn’t over yet but there has been so many matches that I have to recap the five best up until the time of writing.
Check out the list below and let me know if you agree!
Honorable Mentions:
– Sasha Banks vs Charlotte (Hell In A Cell)
– Sami Zayn vs Kevin Owens (Payback)
5. Gargano/Ciampa vs. Revival (NXT Takeover: Brooklyn II)
The Revival has had an amazing 2016. Their match with American Alpha was stellar but when they faced tag-team badasses Tommaso Ciampa & Johnny Gagano, magic was made. Tag team wrestling is an art form that is hard to master. 2016 has seen some great tag matches with The New Day running the main roster. But, these four men proved why NXT is the place for amazing tag teams.
4. Kota Ibushi Vs. T.J. Perkins (Cruiserweight Classic)
Kota Ibushi was one of the predicted winners going into this tournament. T.J. Perkins was a plucky fan-favorite. Both had an amazing story to tell and they told it inside the wrestling ring. It might be the shocking ending to the match that thrust it to the top 5 PPV matches. Perkins would go on to win this and the entire tournament, to the shock of some fans.
3. Charlotte vs Sasha Banks vs Becky Lynch (Wrestlemania 32)
In the middle of a “Women’s Revolution” in WWE, their booking seemed spotty for the most part. It wasn’t until this evening when a new Women’s Championship was debuted that things really started to change. The match that Charlotte, Sasha, and Becky had on the biggest stage of them was probably the best wrestled match of the night. It cemented the former NXT superstars to future WWE legends.
2. AJ Styles vs John Cena (SummerSlam)
Could lightning strike twice? That was the story going into this match. Months before, AJ Styles defeated John Cena to the shock of everyone. Styles boasted about it after saying he was the new “face that runs the place”. John Cena went into this SummerSlam match with something to prove. He was proven wrong as AJ Styles defeated him once again! 2016 is a landmark year in WWE history.
1. Sami Zayn vs Shinsuke Nakamura (NXT Takeover: Dallas)
With the two names involved, this is almost certainly going to be match of the year. Zayn & Nakamura both delivered an epic match that outshines anything at this year’s Wrestlemania. This was the best final NXT match Zayn could have. It’s also the perfect introduction for the “King Of Strong Style” Shinsuke Nakamura as the hype going into his debut paid off. This is a wrestling spectacle.
How many of these PPV matches do you think will make it on the best of 2016 list?
Will anything from Survivor Series 2016 and after find a place on the year end list?
Don’t forget to comment below!
Also, check out the Monkeys Fighting Robots wrestling tag for more WWE articles.
A Rogue One: A Star Wars Story behind the scenes video showed a glimpse of new Mon Calamari officer Admiral Raddus. Creature effects supervisor Neal Scanlan talked to EWabout the inspiration behind the character.
“We always tried to find a real world example of who these creatures may be, and in this case we used [Winston] Churchill, Admiral Raddus is a very strong figure. We would use [Churchill] not only as visual reference for his physical features, but also when it came to performing him and expressing him through the actor.”
“It helps to have someone to reference in the real world. It grounds our creatures and ideas, we use these references to pull these creatures back and make them feel like they belong here in our world.”
What are your thoughts on this piece of news? Comment down below and let us know.
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story flies into theaters on December 16, 2016.
Details regarding Ben Affleck’s Batman movie are still scarce. Deathstroke is the main villain; it’s rumored to take place at least party in Arkham Asylum. That’s essentially all we knew about the project until today, when Fandango‘s Managing Editor Erik Davis tweeted this out:
Sienna Miller told me tonight that she wants to play Catwoman in Affleck's Batman movie. "She's not in the script but I wanna write her in!"
This gives us two stories. The first and most noteworthy being that Catwoman is apparently not in the film. Secondly, the fact that Sienna Miller wants to play the part of Selena Kyle.
Catwoman was portrayed by Michelle Pfeiffer in Batman Returns, Anne Hathaway in The Dark Knight Rises, and Michelle Pfeiffer in Catwoman, but we don’t talk about that third one.
Miller has one Golden Globe nomination and played a supporting role in 2014’s Foxcatcher.
What are your thoughts on Catwoman not having a part in Ben Affleck’s Batman movie? Could we see the character in the DCEU down the line? Comment down below and let us know your thoughts.
Marvel is releasing a book titled “Doctor Strange: Art From The Movie” which features, you guessed it, art from Doctor Strange. Ahead of the book’s release, concept artist Karla Ortiz has released a few pieces of her art that is featured in the book. Check out the gallery down below.
“It was quite a challenge to bring the entirety of the look together, while keeping the feeling of the comics alive! Not just this but all the costume pieces had to work both individually and in unison.”
The cast of Doctor Strange includes Benedict Cumberbatch, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Tilda Swinton, Benedict Wong, Rachael McAdams and Mads Mikkelson.
“From Marvel comes DOCTOR STRANGE, the story of world-famous neurosurgeon Dr. Stephen Strange whose life changes forever after a horrific car accident robs him of the use of his hands. When traditional medicine fails him, he is forced to look for healing, and hope, in an unlikely place – a mysterious enclave known as Kamar-Taj. He quickly learns that this is not just a center for healing but also the front line of a battle against unseen dark forces bent on destroying our reality. Before long Strange – armed with newly acquired magical powers – is forced to choose whether to return to his life of fortune and status or leave it all behind to defend the world as the most powerful sorcerer in existence. Join Strange on his dangerous, mystifying, and totally mind-bending journey.”
With the end of the year in sight, it’s a good time to change your oil. So, while your trusty vehicle’s taking a satisfying glut of 10W-30, why not try some yourself? Unless you’re a sentient robot, like my good friend J-573, though, you should probably forego the trip to poison control and try a can of Neustadt Springs Brewery‘s 10W30 Brown Ale instead. I previously reviewed Neustadt Springs Brewery’s Scottish Pale Ale, so feel free to check that review for some information on the brewery. For now, let’s hope 10W30 doesn’t live up to its name …
Neustadt Springs Brewery: 10W30 Brown Ale – First Sip
10W30 pours almost like a cola, dark brown with lots of fizz but only a circle of foam around the rim of the stemmed tulip glass I’m drinking it from. It has a nutty smell and a heavy malt taste that provides a bread-y quality. 10W30 tastes like most English Brown Ales, no surprise since 10W30 has–on three separate occasions–won medals in this very category. With 10W30’s thin mouthfeel and only a small show of hops on the aftertaste, bitterness barely makes an appearance here.
Neustadt Springs Brewery: 10W30 Brown Ale – Last Sip
This is a tasty Brown Ale for sure. It’s just as good, maybe better, warm as cold. At 5.5% ABV per 473 mL can, you can probably have a couple without getting too rowdy. And, I imagine that after drinking two or three of these malty brews their sweetness would probably become overpowering. Keep in mind that I’m hopelessly devoted to hops, so if you’re into malty brews you may disagree. I suggest pairing 10W30 with something savoury. One rarely goes wrong pairing a sweet beer like this one with a steak, but as 10W30 has all the qualities of an English Brown Ale it’s also a great companion of pub food.
Earlier this year, Batman v Superman was released to scolding review after scolding review. Critics thought it was bloated, poorly structured, and any number of things not affiliated with a quality film. One thing they all gave it a pass on however were the action sequences. Say what you will about Zack Snyder, the man knows how to make a decent action set-piece.
In August, the theatrical cut of Suicide Squad hit the web, and amazingly enough it got worse reviews than its DCEU predecessor. This week the extended cut was released on DVD. While the extended cut for Batman v Superman gave some hope to a few people, its doubtful the same will be said for this version.
Now, let it be said that this review is written by someone who has not seen the theatrical cut. So the verdict is purely based on the quality of the film on offer, not how it compares to the alternate cut. There’s also a slight spoiler regarding the final showdown of the film, so consider yourself warned.
The plot of this film is deceptively simplistic. It’s a group of villains recruited to a covert government task-force to save the world from vicious attacks by metahumans. Think of it as the comic book version of The Magnificent Seven, if Steve McQueen and Yul Brynner had been outlaws. With such a simple plot, it’s disappointing to see how complex writer/director David Ayer decided to make it. It’s like he intentionally made it more confusing just to make it seem like a more appealing concept. Unfortunately, the end result is a rather dull mess with dreary colors, weak dialogue, and poor character developments.
The main flaw actually stems from the opening of the film. During the opening we’re introduced to our merry team of outlaws through a series of cutscenes, put to popular songs and colorful graphics. The problem with this sort of introduction is that it’s completely unnatural for a serious action flick to introduce their characters this way. So when the rest of the film is relatively serious, it takes you out the movie to have character backstories conveyed this way. It would’ve been better to start the film with their main mission, and then just fill in the character backdrops as you go. It would’ve given the flick a much more organic feel. The film continues to rely on poorly timed flash-backs throughout the film, which constantly stops any momentum it may have generated at that stage.
Beyond that, there’s a lot of things that just end up feeling out of place or extraneous to the plot. The love story between Rick Flagg and Enchantress/June Moone is a prime example of this. Jared Leto’s Joker is another. Despite sounding like a mixture of Jim Carrey and Jack Nicholson, he does a good job conveying the clown prince of crime. However, his character is never given anything interesting to do. He’s simply there to give Harley Quinn a backstory, which is a shameful waste of such an interesting character. For a action flick with a 175 million dollar budget, there’s also frightfully few memorable action sequences. There’s mainly shoot-outs and hand to hand combat, with some CGI destruction coming from a character that looks like The Destroyer from Thor.
On top of all that, the villain is also completely forgettable. The dynamic between Enchantress’ villainous side and June Moone’s good side is never explored enough to actually make you care about either one. It’s also disappointing that the film commits the same flaw as last year’s Fantastic Four, in that it has a powerful villain capable of killing her victims in seconds still partake in fist-fights with our heroes to give them a fighting chance. It ruins any tension the final showdown might’ve had, which also adds to just how forgettable a villain Enchantress ends up being.
Overall, this movie should’ve been better. It has a fun concept, a host of talented people to play with, and a writer/director capable of making amazing films. That makes it all the more disappointing that what you ended up with is just mediocre. It’s not awful, or a trainwreck. It’s certainly watchable. It’s just a lot duller than you ever thought a movie about villains could possibly be.
David Yates’s Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them is a textbook example of cinematic escapism. What is cinematic escapism?It’s when someone checks out a film not because it’s the best film but because it transports the audience away from the trials and tribulations of everyday life (these days that’s not a bad thing). With all the political upheaval and turmoil that seems to be dominating the news, it’s nice to have a distraction that’s a delightfully engaging narrative which lifts the spirits of audience members.
Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them finds it’s origins in the Harry Potter Universe. Why the sudden interest in diving back into a universe that we saw reached its conclusion five years ago? Harry Potter just isn’t a movie franchise; it’s a cultural phenomenon. Whether it’s magic wands, a Horcrux, or a patronus, fans crave anything that is remotely associated with the world of Harry Potter.
This is the film is inspired by a textbook that was first seen in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone in 2001. The book was written by “magizoologist” Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne), and it chronicles all the magical creatures that he’s encountered in his travels (including ones he’s even rescued). Newt goes to America in search of a new creature whose details he would like to add to his ever expanding reference work and bumps into Jacob (Dan Fogler). They soon partner up with Tina (Katherine Waterson), an ex-investigator for MACSA (Magical Congress of the United States of America) and her sister Queenie (Allison Sudol) who is a mind reading flapper.
The film is set in New York during the 1920’s. A period where wizards and “no-maj” (people who don’t have any magical abilities) lead separate lives. There is growing sentiment among a select group of “no-maj” who believed wizards should be suppressed. While this is unfolding, the head of security for MACUSA, played by Colin Farrell, has no interest in investigating the reports of these rogue “no-maj” groups as he’s focused on learning more about the “dark arts.” Farrell’s character seems to have taken a particular interest in Gellert Grindelwald, a powerful dark wizard who went to hiding after reigning terror in Europe.
It certainly was intriguing to see Yates tackle themes that were uncharacteristic of previous Potter films. While Scamander certainly wants to research as many magical creatures as possible for his new book, he’s motivated more by his love for the animals themselves. Even when the case that he holds them in is confiscated during his arrest by the MACUSA, his only concern is whether or not his animals would be harmed. When he put himself in harm’s way (in hopes of tracking down Farrell’s character), he makes sure that first and foremost his animals are taken care of.
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them also provides a unique commentary on race relations. For example, we have wizards, “no-maj,” and the faction of “no-maj” that wants to suppress the wizards. The Wizards are dedicated to keeping things separate and know that if they are discovered that it would be an all-out war. The “No-maj” are for the most part oblivious to the world of wizardry. However, when Jon Voight’s character finally realizes what’s going on, he wants them “taken” down. The faction of “No-maj” who believes in the suppression of the Wizards power and most important of assimilation show no willingness to listen to reason. Not one of these “groups” takes the time to figure out how to co-exist with one another. One could indeed extend the argument to our world, where most of our issues with race stem from a lack of understanding.
This is the first screenplay that J.K. Rowling has crafted for the Harry Potter Universe. I was taken back but how richly developed the characters were and furthermore how intricate the connections were from this film to the Harry Potter Universe. For example, there’s a scene where Newt is talking with Queenie, and she finds out he has a former girlfriend at Hogwarts who has the last name of Lestrange ( yes, that family). Hardcore Potter fans and average fans of the series should enjoy this film. If nothing else, escaping the trials of life for a few hours will be a welcome break for all.
Currently in the 5th season of ‘Arrow’, Thea AKA Speedy has taken a back seat when it comes to Team Arrow. Oliver has recruited new good doers to help with the team, battle fights both old and new. However, it isn’t going as smoothly as he would have liked.
