Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige recently shared his thoughts on if and when we can expect to see the Inhumans movie, via Slashfilm.
“I think Inhumans will happen for sure. I don’t know when. I think it’s happening on television. And I think as we get into Phase 4 as I’ve always said, it could happen as a movie. I think it would be super cool.”
With the addition of Inhumans on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., many fans speculated that the movie got cancelled; it’s good to hear news on the project coming from the man himself.
Does the potential for an Inhumans movie grab your attention? Why or why not? Let me know in the comments section.
Whitewashing – I’m sure you’ve heard the term recently. Marvel Studios suffered criticism for casting Tilda Swinton as The Ancient One in Doctor Strange, a role many thought should have stuck to the comics and gone with an Asian man. Now, According to Variety, Iron Fist actor Lewis Tan agrees with those sentiments.
“I’m not the biggest fan of [the Tilda Swinton] casting choice. I can see why they wanted to switch it up. Producers, studios, directors, writers — there’s a lot of voices. I think that an Asian woman would’ve been fantastic cast in that. They said she would be too much of a ‘Dragon Lady’ or too stereotypical, but I disagree.”
Personally, I don’t think Swinton was the right fit for the character. She gave a cliche performance in the role, and the ethnic diversity could have potentially made the film feel more authentic.
What are your thoughts on Tan’s comments, as well as the casting of Tilda Swinton in the role? Be sure to let us know in the comments section.
Are we alone in the universe? That is a question humanity has asked itself for eons and it’s been addressed in countless sci-fi films. Denis Villeneuve’s latest movie, Arrival, examines the first contact story from a fresh new angle.
One day, 12 spacecraft land in 12 different locations around the world, from Montana to the Pacific Ocean near Australia, to Shanghai. When the military seek to communicate with the beings they approach Dr. Louise Banks (Amy Adams) – a world renounced linguist – to figure out a way. However, as Louise starts to make progress, the stress of the mission takes its toll on everyone involved and while she advocates peace, other forces – led by General Shang (Tzi Ma) of the Chinese Army – prepare for war.
Arrival is one of the most richly thematic films this year, taking a realistic look at how the world would react to aliens coming to Earth, operating brilliantly on both a personal and cerebral level. It also pulls off a magnificent trick of being an intimate story while showing the wider social impact of the aliens coming to Earth.
In recent years there has been an increase ambitious yet realistic sci-fi films. Interstellar was based on the theories of Kip Throne and was praised by Neil deGrasse Tyson; last year’s The Martian focused on how a man could survive on Mars using his scientific knowledge and limited resources. Arrival shares a lot with Interstellar, as well as 2001: A Space Odyssey, Close Encounters of the Third Kind and Contact in its slow-burning intensity and heavy philosophical motifs.
The main focus of Arrival is the struggle of communication: how will humanity try and communicate with the aliens and also manage to communicate with each other. At times, Arrival comes across as a linguistics lesson – as Louise breaks down the basics of language for everyone: breaking down the constructs of a sentence, the precise meanings of words and even the method of delivering a message. It sounds like it could be dry and dull, but everyone involved in the movie is able to elevate the emotion, especially Amy Adams’ Louise. If The Martian was a celebration of science and survival, Arrival celebrates language and communication.
Alien contact movies are often about the evil conquerors of Earth or the beings having some ulterior motive. Arrival‘s approach is to show how the world would actually react and what scientists do when studying the aliens – from the precautions they take, the monitoring and the long process of research they can conduct. It’s an arduous process and it has a physical and mental strain on the scientists investigating the aliens. They have to work round the clock for months.
The world Louise and her colleagues inhabit is a bubble. They focus on their research, governmental pressure and geopolitics. As audience members, we get hints of what’s happening in the wider world through news reports showing the global societal reaction. There are glimpses of the wider world through news reports and phone calls to family members – showing the panic and protests. It’s a great snapshot of the world as we see it through the eyes of everyone in the scientific outpost.
The personal elements come from Louise’s relationship with her daughter and how it impacts her work. Like Interstellar and Contact, familial relationships play a large part in the narrative. There is also a spectacular twist in the middle of the movie that should take many by surprise. In retrospect, there were clues about the reveal, but Villeneuve does expert misdirection with the audience.
Icelandic composer and regular Villeneuve collaborator, Jóhann Jóhannsson gives Arrival a haunting score, using synthesized sounds (and the roars and growls of the aliens are particularly ominous). As well as getting Jóhannsson, Arrival has the excellent composer Max Richter to create the opening and final tracks for the movie.
Although Arrival has so much working for it, the biggest weakness is its cinematography by Bradford Young. It employs a strangely dark and murky style – but it makes the movie ugly to look at and, at times, hard to see what’s happening: made worst because many of the rooms have minimal lighting. Despite this Arrival is, overall, a fantastic take on a First Contact story. It can stand alongside many greats in the genre because of the focus on characters, realism and complex themes.
Trafalgar Brewing’s Fresh Hop Harvest Ales are becoming hard to find. Absorbed by All Or Nothing Brewhouse last June, these bottles of ale can still be found in the craft beer sections of some LCBOs, but maybe not for long. There aren’t any advertisements for Fresh Hop Harvest Ale on the All Or Nothing website. It only makes reference to their All Or Nothing Hopfenweisse. I may have bought two of the last Trafalgar Brewing Fresh Hop Harvest Ales in existence … probably not, but it’s possible. Now I’m going to drink them!
Trafalgar Brewing: Fresh Hop Harvest Ale – First Sip
Fresh Hop Harvest Ale pours a cloudy golden colour with a small layer of foam that dissipates almost immediately. I’m surprised at how tart this OntarianAPA is as I take my first sip. Its low carbonation level, like a British pub ale, gives this brew a remarkably smooth mouthfeel. Fresh Hop Harvest Ale’s tart and bitter flavour lingers, providing a steady hop taste from start to finish.
Trafalgar Brewing: Fresh Hop Harvest Ale – Last Sip
I poured mine into a standard pint glass, and I suggest you do the same. Because there isn’t much foam or aroma, though, you’re not likely to miss too much if you drink this beer straight from its 500 mL bottle. You’ll just feel smaller than usual.
With its tart taste, I suggest enjoying Fresh Hop Harvest Ale with something sweet and/or savoury. Dark chocolate would be a great choice. Or, if you’re going to have this beer with dinner, I suggest trying it with some barbecued chicken. Weighing in at a respectable 5% ABV, two should probably be your maximum. But with its unique bitter and tart flavour, Fresh Hop Harvest Ale will leave you wanting more. This is a serious problem because, as I mentioned, there’s a limited supply.
Blumhouse is a production company primarily known for low-budget horror fare like Paranormal Activity, Sinister, and Insidious. They have a recognizable brand that they’ve built a sustainable following on. Most of their films make a healthy profit, which allows themm to venture outside of their comfort zone every now and then. That might explain why they funded writer/director Ti West’s In a Valley of Violence. The film is a dialogue heavy Western that plays much like an homage to some of the most iconic titles of the genre.
In the film, you’re introduced to Paul (played by Ethan Hawke), a man of mystery that the film is content telling you very little about at first. He is on his way to Mexico with his dog Abby, but needs to cross through a small town named Denton. Trouble ensues, in more ways than one, and the film unfolds from there. To say much more about the events of the film may ruin the suspense.
The film’s strongest selling point is the writing by Ti West, especially the dialogue. While the story itself is quite predictable for those with knowledge of certain films, the dialogue these characters are provided give this movie so much life you can forgive its lack of originality. The entire cast is perfectly suited for their roles. John Travolta in particular stands out as a highlight in this film, alongside Hawke and James Ransone. All three embody their characters perfectly, and their interactions in the film are continuous highlights.
On top of terrific dialogue and great acting, the film’s technical aspects are on point as well. Eric Robbins’ cinematography is just what you want from a good Western, as is Jeff Grace’s score. The environment this film creates feels like a perfect homage to what came before, while West’s dialogue and directorial style gives it that edge it needs to stand on its own feet.
For fans of Westerns, In a Valley of Violence is a must-see. It is well scripted, beautifully shot, terrifically acted, and has a great score. While the story is a bit predictable, the film makes up for it in spades with its style and sincere love for the western genre. This might just be one of the best westerns made in recent years.
A new trailer for The Lego Batman Movie has been released via Warner Bros. on Youtube. Check it out below.
The film features Will Arnett as Batman, Zach Galifianakis as The Joker, Rosario Dawson as Batgirl, Jenny Slate as Harley Quinn, Michael Cera as Robin and Ralph Fiennes as Alfred Pennyworth.
“In the irreverent spirit of fun that made “The LEGO® Movie” a worldwide phenomenon, the self-described leading man of that ensemble – LEGO Batman – stars in his own big-screen adventure. But there are big changes brewing in Gotham, and if he wants to save the city from The Joker’s hostile takeover, Batman 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.
Two forces on opposite ends of the media spectrum unite!
Joss Whedon, director of a small art-house film known as The Avengers sits down with Cenk Uygur of The Young Turks, the largest, most progressive online news source for an interview.
One of the Lords of Geekdom, Joss Whedon hasn’t shied away from politics in this election cycle. Whedon’s Save the Day efforts created several videos over the months starring Marvel’s Avengers among many other of Joss’ Hollywood friends. From the mind of Joss Whedon, a new video emerges with another star-studded cast. What If Congress Was Your Co-Worker includes Whedon regulars like Alan Tudyk and J. August Richards and stars Chris Pine.
Over in the news media world, The Young Turks (TYT for the cool kids) is the largest online news network. TYT is unabashedly progressive but also funded by subscribers and not sponsors. So, TYT doesn’t shy away from the truth no matter how they feel about it. You know, they report news and facts with a side of opinion and not the other way around. The other way around is known is entertainment.
Joss Whedon and TYT came together for an interview about Save the Day, the new video, politics, and more.
As reported by The Hollywood Reporter earlier this week, work has begun on a reboot of the 90’s cult classic Starship Troopers. While the film struggled at the box office during its release, it has since grown to be seen as one of the best action blockbusters of the 1990’s. With the franchise set for a return to the big screen once more, we take a look at where the cast and crew of this popular flick went after the 1997 film.
10. Jake Busey – Ace Levy
The same year he appeared in Troopers, Busey played the villain in the Jodie Foster led sci-fi drama Contact. The year before he’d haunted Michael J. Fox in The Frighteners. Since then he’s starred in the horror thriller Identity, Roadhouse 2: Last Call, and played the president of the United States in Alongside Night. Most recently, he’s enjoyed a stint as a recurring character on the From Dusk till Dawn TV series.
9. Dina Meyer – Dizzy Flores
Meyer had an interesting career before appearing in Starship Troopers, and has continued to have one since. She starred on Beverly Hills, 90210 until 1994, starred alongside Keanu Reeves in Johnny Mnemonic in 1995, and appeared in DragonHeart in 1996. She later starred as Barbara Gordon/Batgirl in the 2002 live action Birds of Prey series, appeared in the first four Saw films, and more recently appeared in the Crackle original drama Sequestered.
8. Seth Gilliam – Sugar Watkins
Since the late 90’s/early 2000’s, Gilliam has enjoyed a steady stream of television roles. From 1999-2001 he starred in the respected HBO show Oz, from 2002-2008 he starred in The Wire, and he’s had a small stint on both Law & Order: Criminal Intent as well as the original flagship series. In recent years he’s had recurring roles on both The Walking Dead and Teen Wolf.
7. Clancy Brown – Sgt. Zim
Clancy Brown is an actor you might not see in a lot of films, but you’ve certainly heard his voice. While he’s had notable appearances in films like The Shawshank Redemption, Flubber, and The Hurricane, you’re more likely to know him for his voice acting. He’s provided the voice of Mr. Krabs in Spongebob Squarepants, Lex Luthor in numerous DC related projects, and Red Hulk in Red Hulk and the Agents of Smash. His IMDB page lists his involvement in over 250 projects, both animated and live-action, so chances are you’ve seen or heard him in something outside of Starship Troopers.
6. Michael Ironside – Jean Rasczak
Ironside is well known for his serious and authoritative demeanor from films like Top Gun, Total Recall, and this 1997 classic. With a career dating back to the late 70’s, he’s remained busy throughout the years with a mixture of live-action and voice acting roles. With the latter, he’s perhaps best known for providing the voice of Sam Fischer in the highly popular Splinter Cell series.
5. Denise Richards – Lt. Carmen Ibanez
Richards did not have a particularly prolific career prior to appearing in this flick. Following her participation in this classic though, she starred along Neve Campbell, Matt Dillon, and Kevin Bacon in the erotic thriller Wild Things, she was one of the Bond babes in the Pierce Brosnan led The World is Not Enough, and appeared in Scary Movie 3, alongside her husband at the time, Charlie Sheen. Following her divorce from Sheen, she had her own reality show called Denise Richards: It’s Complicated on E!
4. Neil Patrick Harris – Carl Jenkins
Harris has arguably had the most prolific career following his appearance in Starship Troopers. The former child star appeared as fan favorite Barney Stinson on How I Met Your Mother, starred as himself in the Harold and Kumar series, and starred as the titular character in Joss Whedon’s Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog. He has also become an avid voice actor, providing the voice of Spider-Man/Peter Parker in 2003’s Spider-Man, Veteran Child in the Saints Row videogame series, and Dr. Blowhole in the Penguins of Madagascar series.
3. Edward Neumeier – Screenwriter
Neumeier first made a name for himself in 1987 with the script for RoboCop. After reuniting with director Paul Verhoeven for this 1997 classic, Neumeier’s career has mainly involved low-grade B films such as Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid. He provided the script for both Starship Troopers 2: Hero of the Federation in 2004, and Starship Troopers 3: Marauder in 2008. He also penned the script for the RoboCop remake in 2014.
2. Casper Van Dien – Johnny Rico
Casper has had a continuous career after Starship Troopers, though it’s hardly been a prolific one. He starred as the titular character in 1998’s Tarzan and the Lost City, had a top-billed part in Tim Burton’s Sleepy Hollow, and returned to the Troopers franchise in 2008’s Starship Troopers 3: Marauder. In recent years, he’s appeared in the popular show Con Man, participated in the Showdown in Manila, defended the world from the Ratpocalypse, and received help from Army Dog.
1.Paul Verhoeven – Director
Verhoeven is responsible for several landmark titles in cinema. In 1987 he made a grand entrance onto the Hollywood scene with RoboCop, before building on his success with Total Recall in 1990, and Basic Instinct in 1992. After Starship Troopers, he directed the often forgotten Kevin Bacon flick Hollow Man, before returning to Europe to direct the war thriller Black Book and the drama Tricked. His last movie, Elle, was released this year.
Losses can be painful and can lead to anger. We need look no further back than the previous few weeks to see this. Ohio State losing to Penn State, Nebraska’s defeat at the hands of Wisconsin, Florida State being edged out by Clemson; all of these have induced massive amounts of rage in a nation already torn apart by politics, Halloween, and the World Series. The fact is, in college football, 50% of teams lose on any given week.
I’ve been a college football fan in general and an Ohio State football fan specifically for 20 years now. If you’ve been a dedicated fan of any team (other than the Harlem Globetrotters) for more than a few years, you’re going to experience a heart-breaking loss every now and then. Some say that the bitter sting of defeat helps us appreciate the sweet taste of triumph more fully, and while it may be true, that sentiment provides very little comfort in the hours after your team blows a 14 point fourth quarter lead against their most hated rivals. Here’s a guide on what to do during those difficult times:
Unplug
One of the first things I’ve learned to do after a loss is turn my phone off. Haters love to hate, and cell phones make it way too easy to be a hater from miles away. Don’t fall for it. Get rid of your phone until tomorrow, turn off the TV so you won’t have to watch 30 game breaks reminding you that your team fumbled a punt with no time left to let the other team score a seemingly impossible touchdown.
Yard Work
Usually one of my least favorite things to do, it can have its advantages when you have extra rage built up you need to vent. College football takes place in the fall, so if you have a yard, there’s a good chance you’ve got some yard work that can be done. Angrily chopping wood while cursing the offensive coordinator may earn you some weird looks from your neighbors, but they’ll keep their judgments to themselves. No one is going to confront an axe-wielding ball of fury.
Get Away
After a tough loss, I usually don’t want to speak to another human being for at least a few hours. When Texas beat Ohio State in 2005, I knew I was in no fit shape to talk to other human beings, so I spent the next six days in a national park, living off the land and befriending a family of opossums. The rabies shots were painful, but the friendships formed last a lifetime. Those opossums and me still keep in touch.
“I call the big one Bitey”
Meditate
Clearing your mind of all thought has many famous proponents, from some guy named Dolly to Def Jam founder Russell Simmons. It also boasts many benefits, but chief among them is the ability to center oneself, transcend temporary emotions, and realize your place in the universe. When you see that the entirety of human existence is but a speck of dust compared to the vastness of the cosmos, you’ll have a hard time remaining upset about your squad allowing a 96-yard drive in the fourth quarter.
Play Video Games
I recommend you avoid difficult games (no Dead Souls) and sports games, which can add to your frustration. Play something you are familiar with. Games from the Fallout series are my go-to. The story is engrossing enough to take me to a world where football no longer exists and virtually exploding the heads of a few feral ghouls helps release tension.
Music
Music soothes the savage beast. Put on some relaxing jams to mellow yourself out. Some smooth yacht rock should do the trick, or try some relaxing classical music (no In the Hall of the Mountain King).
Laughter
Unless you work in the medical field, or have even a passing knowledge of human biology, you’ll agree that laughter is the best medicine. Try staying angry while watching Jeff Daniel’s spill his insides in this timeless clip from Dumb and Dumber.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NwcVJMvVWDA&w=560&h=315]
See, your anger is already lifting. Now, keep up the laughter with The Jerk, Friday, or my new favorite: The Nice Guys. Seriously, why more people don’t recognize Ryan Gosling as the comedic virtuoso he is is beyond me. Maybe they’re too lost in his eyes to laugh.
Finally
Now, if all that didn’t work, I’m afraid I have only one option left. Look at photos of kittens. I know the internet is a place nearly devoid of cat pictures, so here’s one for easy reference:
Klonoa, the platforming video game series with installments on Playstation 1 & 2, Game Boy Advance and Wii, will be getting its own anime adaptation, according to a report by Kotaku.
Anime production company Henshin, Inc. will produce an animated feature based on Klonoa: Door to Phantomile, the first game in the series that was released in 1997.
Henshin, Inc. founder, Rob Pereyda, said this in an email to Kotaku:
“Klonoa is a late 90s video game icon, representing that special sense of hope and adventure we all collectively once had. We are honored to be entrusted by Bandai Namco with this franchise, and will work hard to do justice to the characters.”
Pokemon character designer Hitoshi Ariga is set to co-produce and write the upcoming project, as well as handle character design.
Further details and release date are unknown as of this writing.
What are your thoughts? Did you ever play the Klonoa games? Be sure to comment down below and let us know!
