Politics V. Pop Culture: Death Cab For Cutie Takes On Donald Trump

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October 20, 2016

Death Cab for Cutie, a band, known for its, distorted, reverb-laden, acoustic, and emo-drenched lyrics, is taking on Donald Trump from their music soapbox. Death Cab for Cutie hasn’t hidden from or ignored politics in the past, as both of their albums Something About Airplanes and We have the facts and we are voting Yes have proven this point, and singer Ben Gibbard once proudly displaying an Obama ’08 sticker on his guitar shows their left-minded views, they have yet to be so out front and center against a particular candidate or party.

Enter 30 Days, 30 Songs, and Death Cab for Cutie kicks off a campaign for a “Trump-free” America, in which Ben Gibbard and company have kicked off this Donald Trump-focused musical collaboration. It feels like “Rock against Bush,” when they collaborated in the 2004 election season, against Republican candidate Bush.

So, Politics V. Pop Culture brings you the royal rumble of Death Cab for Cutie versus Donald Trump. A Musical act versus Bombastic reality star presidential candidate (Who thought they would ever hear that latter combination and phraseology?) face off. Let’s examine the case.

Death Cab for Donald Trump – The Musical Case Against Trump ’16

Donald Trump has a song in his dishonor from Death Cab for Cutie, and it is titled “Million Dollar Loan.” Death Cab for Cutie singer/songwriter Ben Gibbard explains what this song mean to the band and their cause, a “Trump-free America.”

“Lyrically, Million Dollar Loan deals with a particularly tone-deaf moment in Donald Trump’s ascent to the Republican nomination. While campaigning in New Hampshire last year he attempted to cast himself as a self-made man by claiming he built his fortune with just a “small loan of million dollars” from his father. Not only has this statement been proven to be wildly untrue, but he was also so flippant about it. Like it was no big deal. It truly disgusted me. I remember thinking, “surely THIS will be the turning point. To refer to an amount of money most working class people will never see in their lifetime as ‘small’ illustrates a shocking lack of perspective. Assuredly now everyone will see this man for the charlatan he truly is.”

Donald Trump has many detractors, haters, and others who are critical of him, not unlike Hillary Clinton. However, this particular basis for criticism and element of being “unworthy” of being president seems a little childish, and uninformed. Granted, Gibbard goes on to say in Death Cab for Cutie’s Facebook post, that Donald Trump has “repeatedly demonstrated” that he is unfit. Sadly, despite the very real Donald Trump lies and hypocrisy, the band chose to go into this a sophomoric, partisan, campy whining about Trump’s first, paternal loan.

So, what is The Donald’s part in this trial? Well, since he has not responded specifically, we can only research the complaint.

I took this $1 million loan, and all I got was this billion dollar combover

Donald Trump’s paternal, $1 million loan that started it all story has been heavily discussed, and a heavily debatable riches to more riches story, but is neither illegal nor something to mock. The “small” loan complaint has been well criticized as “out of touch” and insulting, but depending on your venture, more or less money is needed. Either way, there seems to be no malintent, so to infer or imply or assume otherwise would appear to be wrongheaded.

That Death Cab for Cutie has a heck-of-a Trump Hate-Song

Musically, it is a fairly impressive tune, as far as Death Cab for Cutie songs go. Gibbard mentioned that they pulled a Blink 182, like the band’s self-titled effort with Robert Smith, and separately wrote the music and compiled it later on. So Death Cab for Cutie, as far as their musical acumen, have done well. The lyrical content, however, is still a little unimaginative. Donald Trump fan or Hillary Clinton fan, the song as a whole is sadly mediocre in its approach.

So, what is the verdict in the case of Death Cab for Cutie V. Donald Trump?

The Verdict

As painful as it is, this one goes to Donald Trump. Why? Death Cab for Cutie does not have a compelling case in this matter, as Trump’s numerous falsehoods on every conservative, constitutional thing, and any other ideological or political belief would have been far more compelling to touch upon.

Death Cab for Cutie and the other 30 days, 30 songs artists have every right to make their case and music, but the listening public has every right to call them out for this sad attempt at a political and musical jab at Trump. We have the facts, and we are voting “No,” Death Cab for Cutie.

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Funko Prepared for “Moana” Pre-Release Merchandise Craze

By

Jen Schiller

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October 20, 2016

Disney’s next Princess movie, Moana, isn’t out for another month, but retailers are already gearing up for a sequel to Frozen frenzy. Halloween costumes are out everywhere from the Disney store to your local Walmart. You can buy Moana dolls, stuffed animals, blankets, sheets, towels, books, and backpacks. Some characters we haven’t even seen in the trailers have toys.

Moana Mug Disney Store — A Moana and Maui mug from the Disney Store

It’s not surprising, then, that Funko is in on this ‘wave’. According to an official press release, the company will release five different Moana collections along with the film. Their classic Pop! line includes exclusives for Hot Topic, Target, Walmart, and BAM–so collecting them all may take a little exploring of your own.

Moana Pua Slippers — Slippers from the Disney Store

However, the fact that all this merch is available before the movie releases reveals some serious confidence on the part of Disney. It continues a trend Disney’s been ramping up for a while. Most recently, BB-8 was everywhere well before The Force Awakens, and made for one of the most sought after gifts for 2015 holidays. Now Disney has repeated this pattern with great success, but there is one franchise that continues to prove its worth.

Cashing in on Frozen Frenzy

Frozen was released in theatres three years ago. Let that sink it. We’ve ironically been hearing “Let It Go” for three years. The film followed a tried and true Disney template: singing princesses, arguably cute sidekick, romantic storyline etc. But something about the duel leads, the twist ending, and the Broadway soundtrack made it a smash and here we are three years later unable to follow Elsa’s advice.

The Frozen craze may have cooled a bit (if you’ll excuse the pun) if it weren’t for a Disney short that accompanied the live-action Cinderella. Frozen Fever repeated what worked about Frozen, and condensed it into a seven-minute short. Once it premiered, kids wanted to complete their Elsa or Anna collections with the new outfits, and new singing dolls. That’s not even covering the new obsession with Snowgies (and a well-earned one. Snowgies are everything I wanted from Olaf. Feel free to ignore my unpopular opinion). Now Elsa’s blue dress is soooo last season, and soon we’ll have the movie’s sequel as well as a Broadway show to give the merch pool another boost.

Moana Merch Marches On

Of course, Disney has been pulling this trick for years. Specifically Brave, for some strange reason, invaded sections of their parks before the film released. You could meet Merida before you even knew who she was. So the flood of Moana toys and home accessories presents no surprise. It is surprising, though, that Funko has planned such a wide variety of collectibles for what boils down to two characters. Maybe the options are limited to avoid the Brave folly of revealing plot points that should have been kept secret.

young moana compare — General Release “Young Moana” on the left, Hot Topic Exclusive “Young Moana” on the right.

Disney and Funko zoomed in on the collectible nature of the Pop! figures, to the point that retailer exclusives are almost indistinguishable from their general release counterparts. But that won’t stop adult fans from going crazy trying to 100% their collections.

Maui Pop — The general release “Maui” on the left, BAM exclusive “Maui” on the right

The only difference between the two “Maui” figures above? The angle of their arm. Maui is a demi-god that can shift forms. He’s a hawk in part of the movie. He surfs, and helps Moana drive a boat. But instead of any of those interesting forms, his figures hold their hooks slightly different from one another.

Unoriginal design is the same complaint I made about the new “Disney Princess” line from Funko. The company has released more duplicate figures with small changes, instead of seizing opportunities to create something unique.

The Miranda Factor

Not every Disney movie is treated to this pre-release hype, but the reasons Moana has been is no secret. For the first time, one of the most important factors of a Disney film derives from the composer of the soundtrack. Close on the heels of his Hamilton success, actor, playwright and composer Lin-Manuel Miranda signed on with Disney for both writing music for Moana and acting in the upcoming remake of Mary Poppins. Miranda slipped into the spotlight a few years ago, winning his first Tony award for In The Heights, in which, like Hamilton, he both wrote and starred. However, Hamilton transformed Miranda into a musical King Midas.

Disney is likely banking on Hamilton fans adding to their typical family demographic. The studio may also be hoping everyone who rallied for a POC (Princess of Color) will support Moana. If so, it probably inspired their development of a non-white cast both on screen and off.

Moana marks a huge step forward for the company in regards to racial representation. Disney made an early misstep in marketing, but eventually removed the offending costume. Is other Moana merch meant to flood the market and make fans forget?

Moana stars newcomer Auli’i Cravalho as the voice of Moana and Dwayne Johnson as Maui. Other voices include Alan Tudyk (Hei Hei), Jemaine Clement (Tamatoa), Nicole Scherzinger (Sina) and Temuera Morrison (Chief Tui). Hamilton stars Lin-Manuel Miranda and Phillipa Soo lent their voices to the soundtrack as well. The film was directed by Don Hall and Chris Williams.

Moana is set to release on November 23rd, 2016 in the US and Canada. The film will roll out world-wide in early December.

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‘Gotham’ Season 3: Chris Chalk Discusses Jerome, Lucius Fox And Edward Nygma Relationship

By

David Joseph

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October 20, 2016

Gotham Season 3, following the titled seasons concept, is called “Mad City” for a reason. Gotham City has been plunged further into chaos in Season 3, with Jim Gordon off the police force, superpowered Fish Mooney and friends running around, and now Penguin is mayor. Gotham’s new mayor managed to accomplish this, in part, because of his new BFF Edward ‘The Riddler’ Nygma. However, if the previews for the next episode are to be taken seriously, there is a lot of problems that come with this changing of the guard.

Comicbook reports that Gotham actor Chris Chalk (Lucius Fox) sat down to discuss the future of the Mad City, and first thing was first, he explained how hateful of Gotham’s new deputy mayor that Lucius is.

““They don’t like each other. I don’t think Nygma doesn’t like Lucius as much as Lucius doesn’t like Nygma, but we will get to investigate how those two continue to hurt the other one. And their hurt is an intellectual hurt – well, at least Lucius’ is. Lucius isn’t going to fight you or kill you, but he is going to dig into your mind.”

Consider Edward Nygma’s sunnier disposition, and the fact that he is now free to wander, you wouldn’t imagine he would end up in any squabbles, but those who have seen the trailer for the next episode know better anyways.

Chris Chalk was also asked about Jerome, the character that many Gotham and Batman fans were convinced was supposed to be the beginning of The Joker, but tragically and shockingly, he was killed off early on. Chalk is interested in seeing Jerome return, and like some other statements and reports, he seems to almost imply that it is inevitable.

“You’ll have these underground movements that have started to talk about Jerome and what he represented and how he’s going to come back like in the days of John the Baptist.Setting the stage that if there is a Season 4, hopefully we’ll bring that back in a much bigger way and you’ll see these different versions of the Joker myth. He plays into the idea of transformation. When he comes back, you want to see that new version. That next step forward.”

Jerome or not, it is safe to say that Gotham Season 3, the Mad City, will continue to get madder before its gets better for its residents.

[Images Courtesy Of Fox/DC Entertainment]

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5 Reasons Lady Gaga’s New Album ‘Joanne’ Is 2016’s Best Pop Record

By

EJ Moreno

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October 20, 2016

We Have A Pop Music Emergency! Lady Gaga’s Album ‘Joanne’ Is Here!

Gaga’s gone a little bit country & a little bit rock n’ roll. ‘Joanne‘, released on October 21st, is one of the most dramatic pieces from Lady Gaga. The most dramatic thing about it? The raw musicality and stripped back sound.

Working with Mark Ronson on the piece, Gaga went down a different path for her new pop record. She’s spoken about spending a lot of time with family and the influence that had on the album. It’s about expressing a side of Lady Gaga that many didn’t know even existed. ‘Joanne‘ is not a concept album but there’s an clear theme. The song are deeply personal and tells the story of Gaga embracing some truths about her.

Lady Gaga has spoken about “Joanne” in the past. It’s her middle name but also the name of her father’s sister that passed away when she was just 19. During promotion for this album, she has stated that the death changed her family forever and this was a bit of closure for them. Through the songs, ‘Joanne‘ lives on.

Below are the 5 reasons this is the best pop album of 2016:

5. Completely Different Sound

Compare ‘Joanne’ to recent 2016 pop albums from Britney Spears or Ariana Grande, and you’ll notice how different it sounds. Gone are overtones of R&B or dance. They’re replaced with guitar solos & country twang. Like always, instead of keeping up with her peers…Gaga creates her own lane.

4. The Eclectic Song Choice

While it sounds different from other pop albums, ‘Joanne‘ also has different sounds within itself. The core of this record has this Western attitude like “Sinner’s Prayer” but then it has pop jams like “Perfect Illusion” or “A-Yo”. More so than before, Lady Gaga is stretching what she can do in music.

3. Florence Welch Collaboration Titled “Hey Girl”

Can you believe how beautiful this song is? To put it simply, this is like listening to two angels serenade each other. The song “Hey Girl” featuring Florence Welch from Florence + The Machine is an empowering anthem about female unity. It reminds me of funky tunes from Rick James or Elton John.

2. Mark Ronson’s Production

It wasn’t a solo effort; Mark Ronson brought in talented people like Kevin Parker and Hillary Lindsey to help create this album with Gaga. But it is his overall production that’s brilliant. So glad he ended up being the executive producer for ‘Joanne‘. He’s a modern music magician.

1. This Is The Best Lady Gaga Has Ever Sounded

There is magic in Gaga’s voice on ‘Joanne‘. Her vocals are deep and soulful. Sometimes there’s pain in her voice while others have some kind of gleeful joy. We all know she can sing but since her Oscar performances and jazz album, this is just another friendly reminder that Gaga is a singing powerhouse.

Top 5 Favorite Songs:

Hey Girl
John Wayne
Diamond Heart
A-Yo
Sinner’s Prayer

What do you think of ‘Joanne‘ by Lady Gaga?

Let me know in the comments below and check out a live performance of A-Yo, one of the stand-outs from the album!

Gaga’s album ‘Joanne‘ is available on streaming services Apple Music or Spotify. You can find a CD at a store near you!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hb6MdbZ6hn0

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Watch: ‘Logan’ Trailer R-Rated UK Cut

By

Matthew Sardo

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October 20, 2016

The official trailer to Hugh Jackman’s ‘Logan’ was released Thursday morning. Later in the day, an R-Rated cut of the trailer was released in the UK.

The film is set in 2024, Wolverine and Charles Xavier stumbles upon a girl and must protect her from Mister Sinister and the Reavers. Caliban has also been featured in images this week, see Stephen Merchant’s Instagram post.

‘Logan’ is directed by James Mangold, and stars Hugh Jackman, Patrick Stewart, Stephen Merchant, Richard E. Grant, Boyd Holbrook, and Elizabeth Rodriguez.

“Nature made me a freak. Man made me a weapon. And God made it last too long,” said an aged Logan.

The R-rated film hits theaters on March 3, 2017.

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Five Films Featuring Tony Todd To Watch This Halloween

By

Ruben Diaz

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October 20, 2016

October is Halloween month. It’s 31 days of frights and fun. Proof of the frights is all the Presidential debates. And the proof of fun is in just about everything else. One of the great things about Halloween is the love for horror, particularly horror movies. So, there’s a litany of articles devoted to the genre. Here’s another, dedicated to Tony Todd, a master of character acting who has featured in numerous horror films.

Short of copying and pasting his Wikipedia page, Tony Todd has appeared in more than 100 feature and television films. His career has taken him from the stage to video games. Tony Todd’s voice is a mix of James Earl Jones, stone and steel.

Candyman – 1992

Although already a seasoned actor by this point. Candyman put Tony Todd on the genre map. His portrayal of an urban-urban legend was creepy and worth watching in what is otherwise a pretty mediocre horror movie. Todd is captivating and his voice is haunting.

“Your death will be a tale to frighten children, to make lovers cling closer in their rapture. Come with me, and be immortal.” – Candyman

Hatchet – 2007 – 2010

Fifteen years and MANY films, television shows, and video games later, Tony Todd plays Reverend Zombie in the Hatchet series alongside other horror film legends Kane Hodder (THE Jason Vorhees) and Robert “Freddy Krueger” England. Reverend Zombie meets a gloriously gory fate in Hatchet II that the Predator would enjoy.

“I don’t do night tours anymore, I’m not allowed to.” – Reverend Zombie, Hatchet

Final Destination – 2000 – 2011

Tony Todd rarely stars in a movie. As a master of his craft he only needs a limited amount of screen time to make a big impact. Evidence of this is all throughout his filmography and Final Destination is no different. Todd plays William Bludworth and appears for only minutes throughout three (out of five) of these Rube Goldberg-inspired horror flicks.

“Dead, yet still fresh.” – Bludworth, Final Destination 2

The Man From Earth – 2007

In a turn from his many horror roles, Todd is part of an ensemble cast in Man From Earth, a sci-fi film with smarts. Todd’s anthropologist, Dan, carves out his argument against self-proclaimed immortal caveman John Oldman. Todd shines in this indie film that questions science and religion.

“I’m going to go home and watch Star Trek for a dose of reality.” – Dan

Night of the Living Dead – 1990

A couple years before Candyman, Tony Todd starred as Ben in Romero’s 1990 made-for-several-legal-purposes remake of the horror classic. The faithful remake of the original featured color and some great effects from Tom Savini. Love or hate this remake (too many horror fans drink haterade), but Todd was a great choice for the role.

“You’re boss down there. I’m boss up here.” – Ben

There you have it, Tony Todd, aka Worf’s brother Kurn in Star Trek: The Next Generation, the voice of Icon in Young Justice, The Aeon Worm in Bravest Warriors, and The Fallen in Transformers 2.

Thanks for all the frights & fun,
Tony Todd!

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‘Doctor Strange’ Director Reveals He Spent Own Money To Make Film

By

Manuel Gomez

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October 20, 2016

According to ComicBook.com, Doctor Strange director Scott Derrkison paid out of his own pocket toward the making of the latest Marvel Cinematic Universe installment. Derrikson, along with actor Tilda Swinton, revealed the news in an exclusive interview with Yahoo.

I spent an obnoxious amount of money of my own money. I made storyboards, I hired professional storyboard artists and I did my own previs, and I wrote 12 pages, a 12-page scene in the movie, and illustrated it completely, and created my own concept art and went in and did a 90-minute presentation that cost me a lot of money.

But it was not a loss in the end as the director recouped his expense once he was officially hired to helm the film.

And, the great thing is though, when I got the job, they had to buy all of it from me, because one of the set pieces in the middle of the movie was the scene I wrote, and they needed to own everything because a lot of it ended up being the movie we made, so I got all my money back. I was commited. I was going to outspend every competing director.

You can watch the whole clip over at Yahoo.

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.

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 November 4, 2017, in theaters nationwide.

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Nintendo Reveals its Latest Console: the Nintendo Switch.

By

Gary Moloney

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October 20, 2016

Nintendo has finally revealed its latest console; codenamed NX, as the Nintendo Switch and will be available in March 2017. Rumours had been circulating for months that Nintendo had planned to release a hybrid handheld-console, but today’s announcement confirms those reports with the Switch being playable at home or on the go without. All Switch games will be playable on your home entertainment system, but the console itself is detachable allowing for play wherever and whenever you so desire. A surprising addition to the Switch is the inclusion of detachable controllers for portable play which would seem to allow players to replicate that home feeling when out and about. Interestingly, while maintaining its commitment to multi-player experiences, which have come to characterise Nintendo in recent years, the company seems to be taking a leaf of the PS Vita’s book by offering high graphical fidelity and full-console experiences in a portable package. Nintendo may just succeed where Sony failed.

The Wii U has been struggling to find an identity for itself in the years following its release and it appears that the house that Mario built is finally ready to put it out of its misery. The death of the Wii U was to be expected, but the bigger fallout from this announcement may be its impact on Nintendo’s thriving handheld portfolio with the 3DS line. If all core Nintendo console games are now easily playable on the go, is there a place for the 3DS in the market? Nintendo has yet to comment on the matter, but it would seem to indicate the merging of its console and portable divisions and the streamlining of its entire product line. If this were to be the case, it would be understandable considering Nintendo’s inability to fully follow-up on the breakout success of Wii, leaving it trailing behind its competitors over at Sony and Microsoft. What this means for traditionally portable exclusives such as the Pokémon franchise remains to be seen.

No price point has been revealed, but it is safe to say that it would need to remain within the 299-399 threshold in order to remain competitive. Whether the system returns to using cartridges as many theorised is unknown, but given the hybrid-nature of the console, this seems likely. Little details have emerged about the launch line-up beyond the all-ready announced Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wind, but a promo video released by Nintendo indicates that a new 3D Mario title along with versions of Mario Kart, Skyrim and Splatoon may be available on the console. If nothing else, its clear that Nintendo is sick of taking the bronze medal. Today’s announcements show its going for gold. We will keep you up to date with more news on the Nintendo Switch as it comes to light.

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Episode 96: ‘Westworld’ Goes Too Deep?

By

Matthew Sardo

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October 20, 2016

‘Westworld’ is HBO’s new show to replace the outgoing ‘Game of Thrones,’ but does it have what it takes to be a groundbreaking show or is it trying too hard to be layered, and will it lose viewers before answers are revealed.

Also in this episode, we review ‘Ouija: Origin Of Evil’ and ‘Jack Reacher: Never Go Back.’ Additionally, Matt and EJ get on their respective soap boxes for 60-seconds.

Strap yourself in buckaroos! Episode 96 of the Monkeys Fighting Robots podcast is here.

Listen on Soundcloud or Youtube:

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Articles mention in the podcast:
Check Out Why ‘Ouija: Origin Of Evil’ Is This Year’s Sleeper Horror Hit!

Do you have a question that you would like answered during the show?
Email your questions to matt@popaxiom.com.

If you are looking to sponsor the podcast email matt@popaxiom.com as well.

About the Monkeys Fighting Robots Podcast:

A Gen Xer and a Millennial debate the latest topics in pop culture. One guy is a filmmaker and the other is a journalist, but both are nerds. We make your slowest days at work better. Hosts, Matthew Sardo and EJ Moreno.

Never heard of Matt Sardo?
For starters, he made the Kessel Run in less than 11 parsecs. Prior to that, he gave Doc Brown the idea for the flux capacitor and led the Resistance to victory over SkyNet – all while sipping a finely crafted IPA. As a radio host, he’s interviewed celebrities, athletes and everyone in between. He’s covered everything from the Super Bowl to Comic-Con.

Who is EJ Moreno?
Is he a trained physician? No. Is he a former Miss Universe contestant? Possibly. But what we know for sure is he’s a writer, filmmaker, and pop culture enthusiast. Since film school, EJ has written & directed several short films. He’s used his passion of filmmaking to become a movie critic for MonkeysFightingRobots.com.

Places you can find the show:
iTunes
Google Play
Stitcher

Reviews are greatly appreciated – How to Rate and Review a Podcast in iTunes

Thank you for listening!

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41 HD Images From The Official ‘Logan’ Trailer

By

Matthew Sardo

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October 20, 2016

The official trailer to Hugh Jackman’s ‘Logan’ was released Thursday morning. Below are 41 images from the trailer that show a rainbow t-shirt wearing X-23, a grumpy Logan with a smile, and the possible death of Professor X (but he dies all the time in the comics).

The film is set in 2024, Wolverine and Charles Xavier stumble upon a girl and must protect her from Mister Sinister and the Reavers. Caliban has also been featured in images this week, see Stephen Merchant’s Instagram post.

‘Logan’ is directed by James Mangold, and stars Hugh Jackman, Patrick Stewart, Stephen Merchant, Richard E. Grant, Boyd Holbrook, and Elizabeth Rodriguez.