Wonder Woman Is About To Hit The Big Screen With All Her Might!
Warner Bros. has been teasing a their official trailer of ‘Wonder Woman‘ for a few days now. It looks like she has finally arrived.
Could this be the movie to save the DC Extended Universe?
Diana Prince a.k.a Wonder Woman has never looked better. Fans of her have been waiting decades for a feature film and this trailer lives up to the hype.
After debuting in ‘Batman v Superman: Dawn Of Justice‘, Gal Gadot wonderfully brought the princess to life. This trailer shows she will continue that with a dynamic performance. The trailer hints at a lot of things to come but remains subtle. After the debacle with previous DCEU trailers, I’m glad to see they worked on it for this.
‘Wonder Woman‘ comes out June 2, 2017. It stars Gal Gadot, Chris Pine, and Robin Wright. The story goes as follows: “An Amazonian princess leaves her island home to explore the world and, in doing so, becomes one of the world’s greatest heroes.”
Marvel Studios has a problem: as good as their movies are, the villains often fall flat. MCU rogues tend to be underdeveloped and unforgettable, dating all the way back to War Monger in Iron Man. But with each new film comes the hope for a better class of criminal, and that hope is reborn with Doctor Strange. So how does Mads Mikkelsen’s sinister Kaecilius stack up against his peers? Is he more Loki or more Malekith? Read on, true believers.
The problem with Marvel’s villains usually lies in their motivation. Breaking bad simply for money or power is boring; audiences can’t invest themselves in that. People want bad guys that they can sympathize with. In that regard, Kaecilius has most MCU wrongdoers beat.
The sorcerer learns that his master, the Ancient One, has been drawing power from the forbidden Dark Dimension (where time doesn’t exist) to prolong her own life. He sees this as a great injustice, and steals an ancient ritual to bring the dread Dormammu from the dark realm into our own. Kaecilius aims to stop time, extending the life of the Earth and saving its inhabitants.
That’s a pretty sound motivation. Sure many people die along the way, and he almost unleashes a terror greater than he ever imagined, but that’s what makes him the villain. At least he’s not doing it just to get rich like Darren Cross in Ant-Man. Kaecilius wants to save the world he loves. And who wouldn’t get angry at an authority figure abusing their power?
Unfortunately, in spite of his relatable rationale, Kaecilius is still another forgettable MCU villain. Mads Mikkelsen is serviceable in the role; he’s simply not given much to work with. He doesn’t get much screen time, and the time he does get feels wasted. Then he gets totally upstaged when Dormammu finally shows up.
The Bottom Line
Kaecilius is more interesting than most Marvel movie villains, but he’s no where near as memorable as Loki, or even Ultron. Still, what little character development he is given inspires hope for the future of the MCU. If the writers can keep this momentum going, soon fans will have a rogue who they can sympathize with AND who will leave a lasting impact.
Forget about that weird title, this first full trailer for T2 Trainspotting, the long-gap sequel to Danny Boyle’s classic drug flick from 1996, looks pretty impressive.
Check it out:
Here’s what Sony has to say about T2:
First there was an opportunity……then there was a betrayal. Twenty years have gone by. Much has changed but just as much remains the same. Mark Renton (Ewan McGregor) returns to the only place he can ever call home. They are waiting for him: Spud (Ewen Bremner), Sick Boy (Jonny Lee Miller), and Begbie (Robert Carlyle). Other old friends are waiting too: sorrow, loss, joy, vengeance, hatred, friendship, love, longing, fear, regret, diamorphine, self-destruction and mortal danger, they are all lined up to welcome him, ready to join the dance.
Of all the movies to get a sequel after 20 years, I wouldn’t have expected Trainspotting to be on that list. But it’s here, Danny Boyle is back behind the camera, and it looks just as high energy and manic as the original. Only with a touch of appropriate maturity to all those shenanigans this time around.
With Doctor Strange opening tomorrow, director Scott Dickerson has been making the rounds and has discussed a deleted scene in an exclusive interview with news site Collider. In the interview, Derrickson discusses a scene where a young Stephen Strange witnesses the drowning of his sister (fans of the comic will remember this as the event that inspires Strange to become a doctor). In the scene, the sister is played by Lulu Wilson, (Ouija: Origin Of Evil). The director also touches on various pre-production and production stories, and most interesting of all, how close we got to having Joaquin Phoenix as the Sorcerer Supreme. You can watch the interview video below.
Doctor Strange tells the story of neurosurgeon Stephen Strange whose life takes a tragic turn after a horrific car accident damages his hands. When medicine fails him, he is forced to look for healing in a mysterious place known as Kamar-Taj. There he learns that this is not just a place for healing but also the sight of a magical battle to save the world. Soon Doctor Strange must choose to return to his normal life or leave it all behind and take his new place as the world’s Sorcerer Supreme.
The character is also expected to appear in Avengers: Infinity War.
Doctor Strange stars Benedict Cumberbatch (Sherlock, Star Into Darkness, ), Chiwetel Ejiofor (12 Years a Slave), Rachel McAdams (True Detective Season 2), Michael Stuhlbarg (A Serious Man), Mads Mikkelsen (Valhalla Riding/Hannibal) and Tilda Swinton (The Grand Budapest Hotel). It is directed by Scott Derrickson, and written by Derrickson, Jon Spaihts (Prometheus), and C. Robert Cargill (Sinister). It opens tomorrow, November 4, 2017, in theaters nationwide.
Doctor Strange Is More Of The Same From Marvel. At Least This Is Pretty To Watch…
Like a slasher franchise in the 1980’s, somehow Marvel gets away with making the same movies over and over again. There was times during ‘Doctor Strange‘ that the movie feels like a re-hash of ‘Iron-Man‘ from 2008. Sure the characters are similar but does the film have to follow the same beats and patterns?
What I will say that this movie ended up being my favorite first film for a Marvel Cinematic Universe character. It lacks in any real depth but it’s a far better introduction than most characters have gotten during their first solo outings.
There is glimmers of a great piece here. The artistic visual journey ‘Doctor Strange‘ takes you on is unlike any other comic book film. I never thought a Disney-produced movie would conjure up comparisons to surreal films like ‘Enter The Void‘ and ‘2001: A Space Odyssey‘. Can’t help but be amazed by how art-house this attempted to be. Especially that masterful final fight that’s in reverse; that was one of the single best things the MCU has ever done.
But just when it gets good, their tropes come right back in to meddle with the fun.
What are these tropes you ask? Let me break them down for you:
Since roughly ‘Iron-Man 2‘, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has fallen into using a formulaic approach to crafting their films. With this formula comes obvious flaws some critics and myself have pointed out. The villains are notoriously weak, female love interests are pointless, and the humor nears cringe-worthy territory.
“You think you know how the world works. You think this material universe is all there is. What if I told you the reality you know is one of many?”
-The Ancient One (Tilda Swinton)
‘Doctor Strange‘ has all of flaws I noted. Some of them even overlap with each other. Like ‘Guardians Of The Galaxy‘, the final confrontation between Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) and Dormammu went for jokes rather than tension. Basically, the movie told me that this mystic being who lives for eternity was annoyed by Strange enough to just leave Earth alone. Why even invite Dormammu to the party if you were just gonna make him a laughing stock?
Mads Mikkelsen is another in a long line of wasted villains with one-note, thankless roles. His character Kaecilius would disappear for much of the film’s running time to then suddenly pop up to be a threat. Not buying it. Marvel is so drawn to the hero’s journey that their villain never goes anywhere.
The over-use of that Marvel comedy is a glaring issue in ‘Doctor Strange‘. The company has proven before they know how to use their comedy properly with films like ‘Captain American: Winter Solider‘ having less of it and more intensity. But this movie goes as far as using a dated Beyonce joke and constant one-liners from literally EVERYONE. I’m sorry but Kaecilius doesn’t need to be a jokester as well. The only character who used comedy properly was the Doctor Strange’s cloak. It got a bit slapstick but it felt organic at least.
Benedict Cumberbatch as Doctor Stephen Strange
Other than the stunning visuals, the only thing I can really praise is the acting from some of the actors. Benedict Cumberbatch does his best with the material given to him. He doesn’t handle the comedic moments well but he brings some intensity to the few serious ones. The standout performance for me is Tilda Swinton as The Ancient One. She’s regal and stern but can crack a joke when needed. She may be the best actress the Marvel Cinematic Universe as ever seen. Out of all the supporting characters, Benedict Wong’s mystic arts librarian Wong was the scene-stealer. He had a better character arc than the movie’s two villains did.
Those actors shine but Mads Mikkelsen, Rachel McAdams, and Chiwetel Ejiofor just played one-dimensional characters. I don’t know why McAdams was even in the movie and I already mentioned the waste of Mikkelsen. I was looking forward to Chiwetel Ejiofor just as much as I was looking forward to Tilda Swinton but he played second-fiddle until it was too late to care.
Mostly, I was upset that a talented director like Scott Derrickson made another Marvel that seems like the rest. Derrickson shined in 2012’s ‘Sinister‘ but his knack for subverting genre expectations couldn’t be used here. ‘Guardians Of The Galaxy‘ director James Gunn found a way to work his brand into the Marvel cookie-cutter but maybe Derrickson should’ve went the route of Edgar Wrightand Patty Jenkins.
Final Thoughts:
If you’ve liked Marvel movie 1-13, then you will most likely enjoy their 14th film. If you are looking for something different plot/character wise, then you will be disappointed. This will get a pass from viewers for the odd visuals but look beyond those and you’ll see a film struggling to be interesting.
Filming for The Defenders is officially underway and the first set photos have been released via Comingsoon.net. See Krysten Ritter as Jessica Jones and Simone Messick as Misty Knight in the gallery below.
“Marvel’s The Defenders follows Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage and Iron Fist. A quartet of singular heroes with one common goal – to save New York City. This is the story of four solitary figures, burdened with their own personal challenges, who realize they just might be stronger when teamed together.”
Along with the two cast members seen above, the show stars Charlie Cox as Matt Murdock, Mike Colter as Luke Cage, Finn Jones as Danny Rand, and Sigourney Weaver as the villain.
I have to admit that the TV shows having premiered in the second half of 2016, have been amazing thus far. If it’s on Netflix, I am sure to rush through them all in record time, and those shows airing on actual TV channels are welcomes each week a new episode airs. My only gripe with these such shows are the long commercials I have to endure. But at least I have found a solution for that; Euro Palace casino games are an absolute saviour and boredom buster for those long commercial breaks. With a variety of different fun casino games, I am never at a loss for fun and entertainment. Here are the best TV shows of Fall 2016, thus far.
Westworld
Airing on HBO on Sunday evenings, this Sci-Fi remake of the 70s film by the same name is a must see! The show revolves around an unconventional theme park with a Western theme that allows guests to interact with incredibly lifelike robots, called ‘hosts’. I do not want to give away too many details, but do yourself a favour and go catch up on the first 4 episodes that have aired before this Sunday. With a cast featured Anthony Hopkins, Evan Rachel Wood as well as Thandie Newton –you know that the acting is going to be phenomenal!
Stranger Things
This Netflix original show is also in the Sci-Fi genre, that seems to be excelling so much these days. With a cast of mostly children, the acting is really great. Winona Ryder has a supporting role and proves that like a good wine, she just gets better with age! Ryder’s character’s son mysteriously goes missing and his friends try to do everything they can to find him. It’s a clever show, with a good plot and is guaranteed to have you binge watching the entire first season in one weekend!
Better Things
Better things is incidentally not as good as Stranger things, but it’s still pretty good –especially in its thirty-minute time slot, showing on FX. This show stars Pamela Adlon and is witty, with a great script written by both Adlon and comedian Loius CK. The story focuses on Sam, played by Adlon, who is an actress and single mother of three daughters. It will make you chuckle, that is for sure!
Luke Cage
Another Netflix winner here! If you have seen Jessica Jones, this is a must for you to watch as it acts as a spin-off, focusing on the life of Luke Cage. The story is captivating and every episode is full of action and drama. It is produced just as well as, if not better than, Jessica Jones is. Rosario Dawson has a role in this series, just as she did in Jessica Jones –with her character, Claire Temple, existing in all Marvel universe stories. You are bound to rush through its first season in no time –it’s really compelling television and you will love every second of it!
I have been lucky enough to visit my fair share of breweries, living in Washington State, and now Indiana. Over last summer, my fiancé and I took a cross-country road trip to move me home (Indiana) and I made it an unofficial beer tour. We were able to visit at least one brewery in each place we stayed. I feel like, after this experience, I can give you my top five favorites across the country!
Sometimes you want to sit and have a magnificent beer, in a cool, small comfortable atmosphere. This place is rad because they know who they are. They slow batch brew, and while they can’t mass produce as fast as others, we as beer drinkers get solid beers, and it is for sure worth the wait. Drop in during the spring and summer months, and get the Huckleberry Chapel.
If you love books, you will love this place. It is geared towards book worms who love beer. It has an awesome feel on the inside like you are at an amazing bookstore you don’t want to leave. The beers are inspired by books. Title, taste, and description. I chose “Do Not Touch the Flamingos” because it was inspired by Welcome to Night Vale. I highly recommend stopping in. The patio is an amazing place. Corn hole, huge Jenga, and random other games to occupy your mind while drinking your beer. Go in the summer, stay late on the patio and just be.
I just had to rep a few in my hometown! Perry Street is one of those places where you can sit for hours, drink beer and have a good conversation. They have games available for you to play while you do so, a pet-friendly patio, and awesome rotating choices. My favorite is the Saison, which isn’t always on tap. I also recommend the Kolsch.
Tin Man is my choice of hangout here in Evansville. It’s robot themed. Do I need to say more? OK, well it has stainless steel tables and wooden chairs. Kids welcome, they will love the food. You can get a BYOB- Build your own burger, which you can put basically anything on (tater tots included) The beer ranges from light, with the Circuit Bohemian Pilsner, to the dark end Café Leche Milk and Coffee Porter. Patio is great in the spring/summer months, and bring your pups! They allow dogs on the patio.
It’s a small, private, tucked away little gem in Downtown Spokane. The tables are made out of bicycle wheel trims, and all over the walls are quotes about everything you can imagine. I fell in love with this Brewery a few years ago. I have been drunk there a time or two. I’ve somehow been lucky enough to get this as the location for my wedding next October. My favorite beer of all time comes from here, Girlfriend Golden Ale. They also have a mean Huckleberry Ale. Stop by any time of the year. The staff is super nice, and they make you feel like family. The good kind of family.
There you have it! My list of Top Five breweries that I have visited.. so far. I plan on making many more stops on this journey. Please share some of your favorites!
If you had Matt Dillon teaming up with Lars Von Trier in your Mad Libs pool, congratulations! The actor will play a serial killer in Von Trier’s next film, The House That Jack Built.
According to the Deadline report, no matter how much this sounds like it’s a straight up Jack the Ripper movie, it isn’t. Not totally.
“The House That Jack Built follows the highly intelligent Jack over a span of 12 years and introduces the murders that define Jack’s development as a serial killer. We experience the story from Jack’s point of view, while he postulates each murder is an artwork in itself. As the inevitable police intervention is drawing nearer, he is taking greater and greater risks in his attempt to create the ultimate artwork.”
This sounds a lot like Jack the Ripper, but then there’s the addition of a mysterious character named Verge, which will be played by Bruno Ganz. Verge “engages Jack in a recurring conversation about his actions and thoughts.” So, kinda like William Hurt’s imaginary friend character to Kevin Costner’s Mr. Brooks? Maybe. He could be a real person but it sure doesn’t sound that way.
The main thing here is that Matt Dillon is back from wherever he’s been. The guy is so underused and has had an interesting career playing seedy characters and scumbags. This looks like the next level of seedy scumminess, and he and Von Trier make an interesting duo.
There’s no release date for The House That Jack Built yet, so stay tuned for updates.
Doctor Strange, the 14th film in Marvel Cinematic Universe series, is all that audiences should expect it to be, and more.
Yes, it delivers Marvel requisite brand of innovative action, memorable characters and humor to give the film a lighter touch. And yes, it’s an origin, which bears some similarity in the broad strokes to Marvel character origins audiences have seen before.
If you love that formula, then you’ll find lots to love spending some time with the good Doctor. But that’s just the beginning.
The “more” comes from the dazzling visualization of a corner of the Marvel Universe not yet seen on film. The wonders, temptations, and horrors of Marvel’s mystic side, as envisioned by director Scott Derrickson, are what set this film apart.
Those elements, and how they drive the film’s characters, bring a fascinating freshness into the proceedings. It’s literally a universe unfolding before our eyes, and its fun to watch.
What’s it about?
Dr. Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) is in his own way a master of his universe. Blessed with an eidetic memory and talented hands, he’s one the world’s most renowned neurosurgeons, and he’s parlayed that renown into wealth, comfort, and entitlement.
An accident, however, snatches away the keys to his talent, his success, and his very identity: the stability of his hands. Modern science and medicine simply are not enough to fix the nerve damage, or so it seems.
The end of roads familiar to Strange lead him, in turn, down an entirely unfamiliar path. Thus begins his journey into understanding the Mystic Arts, and through them beginning to grasp the “true” nature of the universe.
Strange finds himself a student again, with a whole new set of disciplines to master. He throws himself into study, and soon, his prowess as a sorcerer grows.
But his new powers, of course, come with responsibilities. When an ancient evil arrives to threaten Earth’s mystic defenders, they expect Strange to join the battle.
Can the “good” doctor be more than he has been thus far in his life? Can he look past his ego and just one way to save lives, and embrace a new destiny?
Another origin done right
Watching Doctor Strange, it’s not hard to see the film following the formula earlier Marvel films perfected. The readiest comparison is to 2014’s Ant-Man, but there are echoes of 2008’s original Iron Man here, too, particularly in the parallels between Tony Stark and Stephen Strange. Both geniuses, both wealthy, both arrogant and blissfully ignorant of harsh realities outside their fantasy lives.
What injects life and freshness into Doctor Strange despite those similarities is, in part, how different the path of discovery is this time. Veteran horror film director Derrickson (The Exorcism of Emily Rose, Sinister) delivers a harrowing crash course in the multiverse for Strange. Derrickson’s conception of otherworldly travel’s sights and sounds are both breathtaking and terrifying.
But as dark as the places he takes Strange to are, Derrickson strives for balance in the film through humor. In fact, it’s debatable that the film skirts the boundaries of outright goofiness while trying to keep things balanced.
Example? One of Strange’s most recognizable artifacts may just remind you of the magic carpet in Disney’s Aladdin. Yes, you read that correctly.
Cumberbatch, Swinton lead a superb cast
But whatever reservations you might have about Doctor Strange‘s attempts at levity, its casting is pitch perfect. Cumberbatch is spot-on as Strange, whom he keeps likable despite the arrogance and know-it-all ego. He makes it fun to see Strange broken down and be built back up, to ride along with him as he discovers just how much he doesn’t know.
Tilda Swinton’s casting as The Ancient One raised hackles and inspired charges of Hollywood “whitewashing” when it was announced. Both the film’s script and Swinton’s efforts fully validate the choice, however, as she brings grace, power, and surprising humor to the role.
Chiwetel Ejiofor and Benedict Wong are the other real standouts in the film’s supporting cast. Ejiofor, in particular, can always be counted on to bring gravity and believability to what otherwise might be a stock role. Just look at his other genre work in Serenity, 2012, and The Martian and its clear what he brings to these proceedings — he’s that good here, too.
Worth seeing?
Let’s face it. If you’re reading this review on this web site, chances are you made plans months ago to see Doctor Strange. So the question of whether its worth seeing is as moot as moot gets.
But in case you worry you might be disappointed the 14th time around with Marvel, don’t. It’s a wondrous ride for both newbies and self-styled students of the Vishanti and acolytes of Agamotto.
If at all possible, see it in IMAX or 3D, and though it should go without saying, stick around for the mid and post-credits scenes. They’re worth your while, True Believers.
Doctor Strange
Starring Benedict Cumberbatch, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Rachel McAdams, Benedict Wong, Michael Stuhlbarg, Benjamin Bratt and Scott Adkins, with Mads Mikkelsen and Tilda Swinton. Directed by Scott Derrickson.
Running Time: 115 minutes
Rated PG-13 for sci-fi violence and action throughout, and an intense crash sequence.
Benedict Cumberbatch as Doctor Stephen Strange
