Review: ‘The Girl On The Train’ Is A Contrived Trip Better Suited For TV

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October 7, 2016

The Girl On The Train is a 90 minute trip into a contrived world reminiscent of a Lifetime Original Movie, rather than a simmering thriller, starring Emily Blunt. Director Tate Taylor fails to recognize one of the most important rules when adapting a narrative shrouded in mystery: keep the audience in suspense. While I do applaud Taylor for adapting Paula Hawkins’ ( the author) non-linear storytelling in the film, if your adaptation of the source material is unable to hold the audience’s attention then what’s the point in paying to see the film?Anyone watching the film easily can point out the killer in less than five minutes.

For those who aren’t familiar with the source material, Emily Blunt plays Rachel Watson, an alcoholic ex-wife obsessed with her ex-husband, Tom (Justin Theroux), and his new family. Every day, Rachel takes the same train and sits in the same seat so that she can watch from the window and spy on his new family.

Living a little further down the rail line are Megan and Scott Hipwell. Rachel slowly turns her obsessions towards them when she begins to notice just how happy and affectionate they are. Her jealousy begins to bubble and alcohol is how she calms herself down.

During one of her trips on the train, Rachel sees Megan kissing another man. This sends Megan over the edge, and she immediately decides to confront her (which is never a good idea when you’re a drunk). Her plans don’t go as anticipated; she ends up with some minor wounds and a missing chunk of her memory. To complicate things, Megan is now missing, and the police suspect Rachel.

One of the highlights of the film is Blunt’s portrayal of Rachel. Blunt dives headfirst into Rachel’s alcoholism and seemingly has done a large amount of prep before filming. Rather than having her character holding on to bottles of booze during her countless train trips, we get to see her trying to hide her illness. She resorts to going into bathrooms or hiding around corners while she fills her water bottle with vodka. Rachel seems to be mourning the loss of what she believed to be a “perfect” life. She spends a good portion of the film blaming herself for all the woes that have befallen her. It’s a shame that an acting performance this sound is wasted on a movie that easily could have been seen on Lifetime.

The cinematography is efficient. Charlotte Bruus Christensen uses the surrounding scenery to her advantage to project the levels of inebriation in Rachel. For Example, during the pivotal scene in the tunnel, Christensen blends the forest and the inside of the tunnel all together to project a level of disorientation. She then jump cuts to a shot of a bystander coming to assist Rachel, but she decides to keep the shot of her face clear as can be while keeping the rest of the surrounding scene hazy and disoriented, giving the audience a feel for just how drunk Rachel was and legitimizes why she has a gap in her memory.

Other than Rachel, the rest of the characters are merely a collection stereotypical roles found in any melodramatic mystery. Justin Theroux fits the role of Tom, the ex-husband with a slight rage issue. Megan is definitely the super sexual free spirit who doesn’t want to be constrained. Scott certainly looks like the sleazy husband who easily could have murdered her wife. But everything’s just so predictable.

What’s surprising is, despite all of these negatives, I can’t say this film is completely terrible. If anyone is a fan of the book, you’ll certainly have a pleasant 90 minutes. The Girl On The Train has its moments, they just don’t justify having to pay to see it in theaters.

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Just How Bad Is D.W. Griffith’s Birth Of A Nation?

By

Jonathan Bruce

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October 7, 2016

There are two movies with the title The Birth Of A Nation. Nate Parker’s film opens in theatres today, but the other one is 101 years old. For years, it has been the subject of controversy over its plot and themes. Sounds familiar, doesn’t it?

D.W. Griffith’s 1915 silent film has several themes which are political incorrect. Modern audiences will question its content rather than praise its artistic value. Yet one must remember the historical context in the movie.

The Birth of a Nation focuses on the Northern pro-abolition Stonemans and the pro-Confederacy Cameron family. Both families lose sons during the Civil War. Surviving son Ben Cameron fights, gets shot and nearly hanged by the Union. Luckily, he receives a pardon from Abraham Lincoln. After Lincoln’s assassination, the South plunges into chaos and disillusionment. As the film notes, “The blight of war does not end when hostilities cease.”

The Reconstruction has African-Americans gaining voting rights. Black representatives behave vulgarly at the legislature, passing integration and interracial laws. Distraught, Ben decides to fight back and avenge the South. He founds the Ku Klux Klan. This leads to a tense climax in which the Stonemans and Camerons make a stand against their enemies.

Griffith’s movie features groundbreaking effects such as color tinting and long camera shots. It uses cross-cutting editing and night photography. Many of these features would soon become staples of filmmaking.

Despite the film’s technical skills, it is known for its racist themes. The plot depicts blacks being crude and vulgar. One such character, Gus the Renegade, lusts and chases after a white woman. White actors play blacks by using blackface makeup. More disturbingly, the movie depicts the Klan as a noble force trying to achieve social justice for whites. Not very PC, is it?

According to the late Roger Ebert, one needs to grasp context to understand the movie. “The film represents how racist a white American could be in 1915 without realizing he was racist at all,” he writes. “That it is a mirror of its time is, sadly, one of its values.” Talk about words of wisdom.

Recently, The Birth of a Nation has been losing its prestige of being one of cinema’s greatest epics. It is no longer on the American Film Institute’s Top 100 list. However, it remains in the National Film Registry as “culturally, historically or aesthetically significant.”

Viewers should remember the context in which The Birth of a Nation got made. Yes, the film does present a wholly inaccurate, racially-insensitive portrayal of American society. However, those views still exist today.

The Birth Of A Nation is by no means one of the best movies of all time. But we can use it to learn about our past. Instead of censoring history, one ought to look at how the themes of race and prejudice resonate in today’s society. Look at the fates of Michael Brown, Eric Garner and Trayvon Martin. To deny what has come before is be a grave mistake.

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Zack Snyder Shares Behind The Scenes ‘Justice League’ Video

By

Kieran McLean

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October 7, 2016

Well, we didn’t see that coming. Justice League director Zack Snyder has shared a behind the scenes look at the film, as a way of saying goodbye to the UK. England has been the primary filming location for Justice League, but as the crew moves over to film in Iceland it’s time to say goodbye, and I couldn’t think of a better way for Snyder to do it.

Get A New Look At The Justice League Below

Last day filming in the UK. It has been an amazing shoot. Big thanks to everyone involved! #JusticeLeague pic.twitter.com/TEjEdlo81u

— Zack Snyder (@ZackSnyder) 7 October 2016

As you can see, the video gives us a better look at the Justice League, including possibly our best look yet at Jason Momoa’s Aquaman. Synder also slips in a quick look at what Superman has been up to at the 37-second mark of the video (h/t DC Mate). Henry Cavill looks to be wearing the traditional Superman look with no beard or black suit.

Fueled by his restored faith in humanity and inspired by Superman’s selfless act, Bruce Wayne enlists the help of his newfound ally, Diana Prince, to face an even greater enemy. Together, Batman and Wonder Woman work quickly to find and recruit a team of metahumans to stand against this newly awakened threat. But despite the formation of this unprecedented league of heroes—Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Cyborg and The Flash—it may already be too late to save the planet from an assault of catastrophic proportions.

Directed by Zack Snyder, this marks the big screen debut of the Justice League, featuring an all-star lineup: Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill, Gal Gadot, Jason Momoa, Ezra Miller and Ray Fisher.

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10 Best Comedies to Hit Theaters the Past 20 Years

By

Robert Yaniz Jr.

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October 7, 2016

Comedy is by far among the most subjective type of filmmaking out there (right next to horror, we’d say). However, even though moviegoers may have vastly different opinions of what is truly funny, some films still manage to break through and become recognized for the innovative ways they manage to elicit laughter and the sheer number of laughs per minute they can inspire in audiences. Focusing specifically on films released since 1996, here are the 10 best comedy movies released since that have stood the test of time.

1. There’s Something about Mary (1998)

Back in the late 1990s, this Farrelly Brothers film shocked audiences with its gross-out gags and outrageous, blatantly offensive sense of humor. However, the sharp performances from Ben Stiller, Cameron Diaz, and Matt Dillon have helped it transcend that era to emerge an enduring favorite among comedy aficionados.

2. The Big Lebowski (1998)

Joel and Ethan Coen are regularly regarded among the best filmmakers working today, but this is probably among the goofiest films of their filmography. Jeff Bridges created an icon in his turn as The Dude, launching a zillion memes and quotable lines alongside co-stars John Goodman and John Turturro.

3. Office Space (1999)

Although this comedy from Mike Judge (King of the Hill) was a box office bomb, it has since earned a reputation as one of the most relatable comedies ever made. Office Space is just a barrage of laugh-out-loud moments and memorable lines. No one who has seen this has ever looked at office work the same way again.

4. Shaun of the Dead (2004)

The first in the Blood and Ice Cream (or Three Flavors Cornetto) trilogy, this spoof of zombie films made veritable stars of all involved. Director Edgar Wright instantly earned a global fanbase, and stars Simon Pegg, and Nick Frost went on to share the screen several more times. Be sure to check out Hot Fuzz and The World’s End as well.

5. Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004)

Will Ferrell has headlined so many hit comedies, but none has had the cultural impact of his initial turn as the pompous titular newscaster in this Adam McKay film. So many hilarious lines and memorable characters that viewers will find themselves trapped in a glass case of emotion, unable to stop the laughter.

6. Mean Girls (2004)

This Tina Fey-scripted teen comedy set a new gold standard for what that particular subgenre can look like in the modern age. Buoyed by flawless performances by Lindsay Lohan and Rachel McAdams, Mean Girls appears to be more relevant than ever before. That’s no small feat for a film that’s already more than a decade old.

7. The 40-Year-Old Virgin (2005)

Steve Carell and filmmaker Judd Apatow are two of the hottest names in Hollywood now. However, since this film was released, Carell has become an Oscar-nominated actor, and Apatow is essentially his own brand. This perfectly cast and surprisingly sweet film still stands as perhaps the best work either has done on the big screen.

8. Borat (2006)

Fans of Da Ali G Show knew that Sacha Baron Cohen was one of the most fearless comic talents in recent memory. Borat made that announcement to the world, as its star took tremendous creative risks to satirize our own society, earning an Oscar nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay in the process.

9. Bridesmaids (2011)

Whether you loved or hated the Ghostbusters reboot, director Paul Feig proved with this Kristen Wiig-led comedy that he has a knack for giving funny ladies a place to showcase their talents. Melissa McCarthy, as well as screenwriters Wiig and Annie Mumolo, received Oscar nominations, and Hollywood finally realized that female-led comedies can succeed at the box office.

10. 21 Jump Street (2012)

Reboots are coming fast and furious these days, and 21 Jump Street — based on the 1980s TV show — deftly commented on its own place among that trend. Meanwhile, stars Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill deliver uproarious performances that still have us hoping that a third Jump Street film eventually comes to pass.

What’s your favorite comedy of the past 20 years? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.

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5 Reasons ‘Iron Man 2’ Is a Critical Part of the MCU

By

Robert Yaniz Jr.

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October 7, 2016

Fans and critics alike have consistently proclaimed that Iron Man is among the best films to ever come out of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Ironically, its 2010 sequel is often labelled as one of the weakest MCU entries released so far. Considering that this summer‘s Captain America: Civil War marks a turning point of sorts of Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) and the rest of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, we thought it about time to re-address common perception on Iron Man 2 and explore why — despite its black sheep status — it’s actually one of the most important films in the MCU. For the record, we’re not saying that Iron Man 2 is superior to other films in the franchise, such as The Avengers or Guardians of the Galaxy. Rather, we’re looking to point out the ways in which Jon Favreau’s film set up future events and laid the groundwork for the MCU as a whole.

Tony’s Daddy Issues

Captain America: Civil War emotionally centers on Tony’s guilt over the death of his parents and, in particular, his animosity towards his father. Most of his appearances in the films don’t directly address that, save for Iron Man 2. A major plot point delves into the father-son relationship of the Stark family, and Howard Stark (played, for the first time, by John Slattery) expressed the faith he had in his son all along.

Introducing Black Widow

Mainstream audiences had no clue who Black Widow was before Scarlett Johansson slipped on that leather bodysuit to bring the S.H.I.E.L.D. agent and Avenger to life. Iron Man 2 introduced her while working undercover at Stark Industries. This not only sets up her sneaky, morally ambiguous nature but her contentious relationship with Stark himself. Who knew then that Natasha Romanoff would turn out to be such a fan favorite?

Rhodey Suits Up

In the first Iron Man film, James Rhodes declares that perhaps he’ll get the chance to wear one of Tony’s suits “next time.” Well, when the sequel came around, fans finally get their chance to see War Machine in action. The character has since continued to evolve into a key supporting player in Tony’s life as well as a team member of the Avengers. It all started here, with Rhodey taking a suit for himself and tricking it out with all manner of weaponry.

Government Intervention

In Captain America: Civil War, the government finally takes action against the Avengers, who have gone unsupervised for years. Yet, the U.S. government first tried to gain control of superheroes in Iron Man 2, with Senator Stern (Garry Shandling) — later revealed to be a HYDRA agent — calling Tony Stark to hand over the Iron Man suit. Though Tony would be more open to regulation down the line, the seeds for the Sokovia Accords truly begin here.

Phil Coulson Returns

Phil Coulson’s (Clark Gregg) death in The Avengers serves as one of the most memorable moments of that film, though Gregg’s casting on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. less than a year later undermined its impact for some fans. However, the biggest reason why his murder at Loki’s (Tom Hiddleston) hand was so impactful is because of Tony Stark’s reaction. In this film, we get the chance to spend a bit more time with Coulson (as does Tony), setting up his heroic act of defiance against the evil Asgardian.

Are there any other major MCU connections we missed in Iron Man 2? Let us know in the comments section below!

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‘War For The Planet Of The Apes’ Trailer Description Released

By

Aric Sweeny

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October 7, 2016

Fans in attendance of the War For The Planet Of The Apes panel at New York Comic-Con were screened the first trailer for the film, which has not been released to the public. Heroic Hollywood dropped a description of the trailer, as they had a writer in the audience. Read it down below.

“The trailer opens with a wooden bridge made behind a waterfall, we hear some military chatter over walkie-talkies. The footage then cuts to military personnel in spec-ops outfits and rifles with green laser sights walking crouched in a cave, the military chatter over comms continues. They are then attacked by Caesar, who takes them all out. The person on the other end of the radio wants the squad to report in, Caesar picks up the line to listen. The trailer cuts back outside on the bridge, where another guard is looking around. Caesar comes out of the cave and lunges at the guard. Cut to action montage in the snow, voice-over from Woody Harrelson’s colonel character. The brief action showcases the film will definitely have grand war scenes, with humans in tanks, apes on horseback with guns, the whole deal. Final shot is Caesar kneeling before the colonel who places a gun against Caesar’s forehead. Harrelson’s voice-over continues saying “If humans should lose the war, this will truly become a planet of apes.” (Fantastic ‘he said the title’ moment).”

I just hope we get to see the actual trailer sometime soon!

War for the Planet of the Apes hits theaters on July 14, 2017.

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Recovered Audio: The UnPOP Podcast Field Review of Blair Witch

By

Curtis Waugh

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October 6, 2016

This is the audio recovered from the UnPOP Podcast’s field recording at Griffith Park in Los Angeles. Curtis, Brock and Austin ventured out into the dank, dark depths of the woods (in a state park, in LA) searching for answers as to why Blair Witch was such a massive disappointment. Much to their surprise, the guys came upon skunks, coyotes, shadows in the night and frayed each other’s nerves as the night grew colder and stranger.

Listen to this doomed trip where audio is lost, Brock almost climbs a tree in fear, Blair Witch is deconstructed and the guys are locked in the park and saved by Felicia, the greatest Uber driver on earth. If you dare…

0:00 Entering the woods…

5:02 Spooky lost audio

9:20 Bad Pizza Rankings

15:14 News: IMdb and actors’ ages

17:34 LA Podfest

20:19 What’s Cookin’ in The Rock’s Kitchen

21:57 Blair Witch discussion

Post Credits: An Uber rescue from Griffith Park

Have a topic you’d like to hear UnPOPPED? Send any comments/love/vitriol to unpopentertainment@gmail.com

At long last, The UnPOP Podcast is on iTunes! Check us out there!

We’re on Stitcher! Add us to your playlist and rate and review our show!

Subscribe to our Soundcloud page!

Give the Facebook page a big ol’ “Like”

Follow the show on Twitter @UnpopPodcast and the guys @curtwaugh and @brockvox!

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NYCC: Marvel Reveals All-New Joe Quesada Poster For Netflix ‘Iron Fist’ Series

By

Manuel Gomez

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October 6, 2016

A new Joe Quesada illustrated ‘Iron Fist’ concept art poster for the upcoming Netflix series has been unveiled at New York Comic Con by Marvel Comics.

Quesada is Marvel’s Chief-Creative-Officer and former Editor-in-Chief. He made a name for himself with the Marvel Knights imprint, which brought back prominence to many of Marvels “street level” heroes, including Daredevil and the Punisher, characters already adapted into the Netflix MCU.

Iron Fist stars Finn Jones and is executive produced by showrunner Scott Buck and Jeph Loeb. The show will follow the adventures of millionaire turned hero Danny Rand aka Iron Fist, as he uses his mystical kung-fu abilities to fight crime and corruption on the streets of New York. Historically Danny Rand is one-half of the Heroes for Hire duo with current breakout character Luke Cage. Iron Fist will also join Daredevil, Jessica Jones, and Luke Cage in forming the superhero team The Defenders, scheduled to appear in their own 2017 series.

Iron Fist is currently shooting and set to premiere streaming in 2017.

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‘Iron Fist’ Hopes to Be Marvel’s Next Big Hit on Netflix

By

Don Draper

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October 6, 2016

Now that Luke Cage is finally here and everyone was able to binge-watch the latest Marvel series, the attention has already moved on to the next hero. Netflix is prepping for the next streaming series tied to the MCU and people are hoping that it will make for the perfect bookend to Cage. This post may contain what some could consider mild spoilers pertaining to Iron Fist and his origins, so don’t say we didn’t warn you.

The next major Marvel show slated for Netflix will be on the longtime comic book pal of Luke Cage, Iron Fist. He is best known to comics fans through his partnership with Luke Cage as one half of the Heroes for Fire. But for those not in the know, Iron Fist can almost be thought of like a kung-fu Batman in a lot of ways. To give a quick background, Iron Fist also goes by Danny Rand, the scion of the wildly successful Rand Corporation. In the comics, Danny’s parents die during a tragic hiking accident, which prompts the young boy to undertake the training from a mysterious master to ultimately become Iron Fist. Hmm, young billionaire with dead parents trained in the mountains by a secretive martial arts clan… where have we heard this before?

The titular character is being played by Finn Jones (best known for his part as Loras Tyrell in Game of Thrones) and we also know that the series will introduce the character of Colleen Wing (played by Jessica Henwick, best known as Nymeria Sand from GoT). The inclusion of Wing is notable because in the comics she goes on to form the dynamic duo of the Daughters of the Dragon with Misty Knight, whom we just met in Luke Cage. Now that Cage has become a bonafide hit, Comic Book Resources reports that Marvel has followed that success with the announcement of Iron Fist‘s release date: March 17, 2017.

Iron Fist will help to complete the last piece of the puzzle in the streaming universe that will set us up for Marvel’s The Defenders, due sometime in 2017, too. Of course, with The Defenders and a solo series for The Punisher currently scheduled, the character that started it all, Daredevil, has taken a backseat. According to Den of Geek, there’s still no current release date for season three. However, with Iron Fist, Defenders and Punisher all first in line, it will likely be at least 2018 before we see anything new.

It might be a long wait, but fans will be able to occupy their time through the myriad other Marvel shows and online distractions, thanks in part to the slew of slot reals based on Marvel characters outlined at Gambling.com. Among others, those characters include the namesake Man Without Fear, Elektra and the Punisher. These games are simple games based on traditional slot reels that spice things up through their inclusion of popular characters along with weapons like DD’s billy clubs or Elektra’s deadly sais. Daredevil devotees can also find the characters in Marvel Heroes 2016 where EW reports that Marvel has also added new costumes for both Luke Cage and Jessica Jones based on their respective series.

Marvel has quickly built quite the streaming empire and they’re following the same playbook they did for their big-screen counterparts. As the publisher continues to fill out the roster, it will all lead us to Marvel’s The Defenders. The show should be like a small screen version of The Avengers that’ll also be more than enough to tide us over until the third season of Daredevil finally comes out.

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Trailer Now Available for “A Series Of Unfortunate Events” Netflix Series

By

Jen Schiller

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October 6, 2016

Lemony Snicket’s A Series Of Unfortunate Events is possibly the only book series on Earth where the narrator urges you to stop reading–a trend which continues in the first trailer for the Netflix series based on the books.

A Series Of Unfortunate Movie Events

Back in 2004, during the height of Potter-mania, Nickelodeon attempted to create a series of films of their own. Their source material? The 13-book series A Series of Unfortunate Events, written by Daniel Handler under the pen-name Lemony Snicket. Nick only put out the first movie, which incorporated the first three books, before giving up.

While the movie was great fun and beautifully costumed, it did not do as well as Nick and Paramount wanted it to in theatres. During production, the film suffered from scheduling setbacks, directors and writers signing on and then leaving, and budget restraints. Even after the film garnered critical acclaim and an Academy Award for makeup, the project was still abandoned.

Netflix to the Rescue

Nickelodeon may have abandoned the Series of Unfortunate Events, but fans of the books and movies never gave up hope. Even Handler returned to the world of Snicket and the Beaudelaires, creating a series called All the Wrong Questions.

Considering the continued popularity of a book series that’s almost as old as Harry Potter, it’s no surprise that Netflix picked up the property. Not only have they picked it up, but the series is the most expensive that the streaming service has produced to date.

So far details about the show are scarce, but most of the big-hitters have been cast. Neil Patrick Harris (Count Olaf), Malina Weissman (Voilet Beaudelaire), and Louis Hynes (Klaus Beaudelaire) make up the core cast, while Bernadette Peters (Aunt Josephine), Joan Cusack (Justice Strauss), and K. Todd Freeman (Mr. Poe) will also make appearances. Perhaps most surprising is the early reveal of Patrick Warburton as Snicket. In the books (and film), Snickets face was always kept hidden in order to protect him from some unnamed danger.

A Series of Unfortunate Events will release on Friday, January 13th, 2017. Tune in if you dare.

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