Synopsis: Cottonmouth strikes back at Luke by taking his vengeance out on the people of Harlem, while detectives Knight and Scarfe face an unexpected threat.
After the change-up of the fourth episode, the fifth installment turns the corner quickly propelling Luke Cage into a new role and a new attitude. No longer reluctant to be who he is, Cage takes center stage as a heavyweight in Harlem intent on bringing down Cottonmouth.
Episode Details
Cottonmouth’s star is fading fast and so far he looks to be Cage’s appetizer before the main course of Diamondback. The overtones of the bigger player can be heard throughout the episode. Cottonmouth’s pressure on Harlem brings Cage willingly into the daylight as Harlem’s “Defender”. Cage’s coming out party is total – the media knows his name, the community knows what he can do and Shades knows who he was. This is an unusual turn for Marvel, who typically don’t open up a character this quickly. They’ve drawn a pretty clear line straight to Luke’s full past that might reveal some important, if not new, background on the character.
Unlike Daredevil, Luke Cage is squarely in view of their community and from this comes Claire Temple. Long known to be appearing in the series, the character of ER nurse Claire Temple, finally arrives in the fifth episode. Rosario Dawson’s portrayal of the character cuts across all three series as the glue that binds our street-level defenders.
We see the theme of blurred lines again during the funeral of Pops. Cottonmouth stirs the crowd with his speech but Luke Cage’s words make Harlem stand and cheer, setting up a showdown we expect to see well before the last episode of the season.
Our findings…
This episode was a fun one. Luke takes a walk through the streets sticking up for the victims of Cottonmouth’s abuse. The first half had the feel of having your older sibling straightening out the schoolyard bully. The rest of the episode brought the public in to the fight between Cage and Cottonmouth. The soundtrack continues to be exceptional, especially the opening performance of Jidenna’s hit single Long Live the Chief.
The expectation of seeing Alfre Woodard bringing her powerful tone to Mariah has been somewhat missed and it wouldn’t be surprising for that character’s presence to be felt soon.
Additionally, as the Cottonmouth/Luke Cage conflict seems to be coming to a head, and given the teasing of Diamondback thus far, we expect Luke to be facing a new threat very soon.
Synopsis: As he rescues a victim of Cottonmouth’s vengeance, Luke remembers his earlier life and the conspiracy that led to his superhuman strength.
In the aftermath of the third episode, the series flashes back into Luke Cage’s past. Not only do we learn more about how he came to his abilities, we also get an episode that hyper-focuses on the main character, without the multiple arcs in a typical episode. Mike Colter as Luke Cage gives another compelling performance as he continues to portray a reluctant character who must answer the higher call of community and service, regardless of his personal well-being.
Episode Details
This is the origin of Luke Cage, and overall it adheres very closely to the 1972 comic-book story created by Archie Goodwin and illustrated by George Tuska.
Initially, we see Carl Lucas being admitted to Seagate prison under the charge of a crooked guard, Albert Rackham. Targeted by Rackham and other corrupt officers at the privately-owned prison, Carl Lucas is pressed to be part of an illicit scheme because of his size and toughness.
Reva, the prison psychologist, sees the depth of Carl Lucas and seeks to helps him, all the while falling for him. This is the same Reva we remember from Jessica Jones – Luke’s lost wife.
Between the Jessica Jones series and the first few episodes of Luke Cage, it’s fairly clear that all women fall for Luke.
We also get a major reveal that is not part of the comic book canon that explains a little bit about his investigative abilities tracking down Chico earlier in the series.
Tensions continue as Luke tries to negotiate the delicate balance between his own survival, and keeping his friend safe.
As Carl Lucas’ days darken in prison, Reva stays with Luke keeping him from becoming completely lost in Seagate’s underbelly.
Sometimes Survival Costs
At Seagate rumors abound that there are scientific experiments happening to inmates. Reva expressly denies this but the cryptic presence of Dr. Burstein makes Lucas uneasy.
The situation between Lucas and Rackham escalates leading to Burstein attempting an experimental procedure on Lucas. Events conspire to affect the experiment causing Carl Lucas to change. After the fallout, Luke Cage emerges.
Our findings…
It’s a must for the super-hero origin story to be included in the movie or series. Marvel Studios, known for slowly spooning out the details, delivers in the origin story of Luke Cage. It adheres to the original concept, is visually stimulating, action-packed and hyper-focused on Cage.
It’s clear that Luke’s relationships define him. He’ll go to any lengths to protect those that he cares about. Luke’s guarded nature doesn’t protect him from deeply caring about his community and friends. Luke Cage can’t escape the notion that there is a higher purpose for him as well as a calling to serve and protect. He’s well-rooted in his culture and can’t avoid his deeply held values, even if they take him to places he doesn’t really want to go. He’s a reluctant hero that fears that his greater actions might inadvertently harm those he cares for. Cage has to come to terms with that, as most heroes do.
Those viewers that know the comic book character got a nostalgic zinger as Cheo Coker deftly folded in an original costume Easter Egg. This episode was one of the high points so far, and deepens the character’s foundation for the following nine episodes.
So far Luke Cage has lived up to expectations – and maybe a little more.
Throughout his directorial career, John Carney has been fascinated by the life-changing effects of music as well as the complicated relationship between one’s personal life and artistic aspirations. Take Once, the Oscar-winning 2007 film that chronicled the collaboration between two struggling musicians in Dublin. Or look closer at Begin Again, which starred Mark Ruffalo as a down-on-his-luck record producer and Keira Knightley as the vocalist that helps him find the will to start over. Carney’s latest film, Sing Street, explores similar thematic terrain as those two films, albeit through the prism of a 1980s schoolboy (Ferdia Walsh-Peelo) who starts a band to impress a girl (Lucy Boynton). We’ve already shared our thoughts about one of the year’s worst films. So now let’s investigate why Sing Street may very well be the best film of 2016 (at least so far).
The music is fantastic
One would hope that, since music is so essential to Sing Street, the film would feature some outstanding tunes. Luckily, Carney teamed with 1980s veteran composer Gary Clark to create some original songs that will undoubtedly leave audiences heading straight to iTunes to download the soundtrack. Sure, it also has indelible classics by Duran Duran, The Cure, and other bands. But let’s face it: you’ll really want the Sing Street soundtrack for “Drive It Like You Stole It,” “To Find You” and “Up.” You might even be inspired to start a band of your own.
The charming cast (including standout Jack Reynor)
Ferdia Walsh-Peelo takes the film’s lead role as Conor “Cosmo” Lalor, who escapes his troubled home life through music. However, the promising young star is far from the only breakout in Sing Street. Lucy Boynton makes an impression as the de facto leading lady, while Ben Carolan and Mark McKenna lend memorable support as two key members of the film’s titular band. Still, it is Jack Reynor — whose acting talent was apparently wasted in Transformers: Age of Extinction — that steals the film as Conor’s big brother. His heartfelt, meaningful performance is seriously worthy of awards consideration.
The nostalgia factor
In addition to the addictive original songs in Sing Street, the film taps into the 1980s with pop culture references to music and events of the day as well as all the era-appropriate fashion one could possibly want. For moviegoers who lived through the decade, Carney’s film is like a welcome trip down memory lane, exploring the ways in which new wave and punk rock influenced those who grew up surrounded by it. Sure, its depiction of the 1980s may be filtered through rose-colored glasses, but that very fact underscores the film’s upbeat perspective on adolescence and the promise of something beyond it.
A universally relatable original story
At its core, Sing Street is a coming-of-age tale about a young youth coming to grips with reality and discovering who he is through the art of self-expression. Whether or not moviegoers are musically inclined, the notion that one yearns for something more in life is something we can all relate to. Everyone wants to be special, to feel like the world is simply waiting for him or her to pursue their dreams and make them a reality. Sing Street is all about that, and sometimes that starts with wanting to win over someone’s heart.
A positive, youthful energy that captures pure cinematic joy
More than anything, Sing Street deserves to be commended simply because of how much fun it is. Though the film doesn’t shy away from the melancholy parts of youth, it is aggressively optimistic and is damn near guaranteed to leave viewers with a smile. Hope emerges as the film’s ultimate message, and while so many film critics debate over whether or not other releases are too lightweight or too grim to tell their stories effectively, Sing Street shamelessly embraces the power of cinema to elicit joy and inspires moviegoers to believe that they too can accomplish the impossible.
What did you think of Sing Street, and what’s your favorite film of 2016 to date? Tell us in the comments section below!
The summer 2016 movie season was certainly one of the most divisive ones in recent years. While some film critics are quick to point out the lack of satisfying blockbusters, the truth is that the weeks between the beginning of May and Labor Day brought about as many winners as there were losers. So, now that we’ve had a bit of time to reflect, let’s bid farewell to the summer months and run down what worked what didn’t. For the record, we’re taking into account box office performance, critical reception and the response from audiences.
HITS:
Disney
The Mouse House continues to dominate the box office, thanks to the summer one-two punch that was Finding Dory and Captain America: Civil War. Those two films were the highest-grossing domestic releases of the season, giving Disney four of the top 5 biggest earners of the year so far. The Pete’s Dragon remake also proved to be a modest success amid enthusiastic reviews, and cumulatively, it was a great few months for Disney, despite the massive disappointments that were Alice Through the Looking Glass and The BFG.
Horror
Audiences must have been in the Halloween spirit early this year because horror was among the most consistently successful genres this summer. The Conjuring 2, The Purge: Election Year and Lights Out all kept the scares coming throughout the summer, but Don’t Breathe may have proven to be the real success story, bringing in more than eight times its production budget in domestic theaters alone. Without any big-name stars and a relatively fresh filmmaker in Fede Alvarez (Evil Dead), the film soared thanks to genuine thrills and a truly memorable script.
Animation
Whenever the kids are out of school, films aimed at family audiences always tend to do well, and this summer further validated that. Aside from Finding Dory, animated comedies like The Secret Life of Pets and The Angry Birds Movie were among the biggest moneymakers, picking up the slack from flops like Ice Age: Collision Course. Even Sausage Party — the hard-R animated comedy from Seth Rogen — turned its raucous subject matter into strong reviews and nearly $100 million domestically against a production budget of just $19 million.
MISSES:
Unwarranted franchise relaunches
One of the most controversial releases of the season was director Paul Feig’s Ghostbusters reboot. While that film was neither the financial nor critical disaster many feared (or hoped?) it would be, it didn’t connect with audiences enough to reinvigorate the franchise and was indicative of a general lack of interest for nostalgia properties. The latest attempt to bring The Legend of Tarzan back to the pop cultural conversation did well internationally and made little impact in the U.S.. Likewise, a 20-year gap between films did little to bolster excitement over Independence Day: Resurgence, though we imagine the fact that the film was terrible didn’t help.
Universal
While Disney had a terrific summer, Universal’s only bonafide hit was The Secret Life of Pets. Other than that film, the studio’s Warcraft stood as perhaps one of the biggest bombs domestically (though it did well overseas), and critically acclaimed mockumentary Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping left theaters almost as soon as it was released. Even Jason Bourne — which should have been an easy slam dunk — underperformed amid tepid critical notices.
Early Oscar bait
Oscar season doesn’t really hit full swing until November, but sometimes films like Forrest Gump can stretch a summer release all the way to Best Picture. This summer, any attempt to get Oscar buzz started early, fell flat. The Matthew McConnaughey Civil War drama Free State of Jones, romantic drama The Light Between Oceans and crime drama The Infiltrator (starring recent nominee Bryan Cranston) all failed to find audiences. So much for getting a jump on the incoming flood of prestige pictures.
Which summer 2016 movies did you enjoy the most? Sound off with your thoughts in the comments section below!
Synopsis: In the aftermath of a chaotic event at a favorite Harlem hangout, Luke heeds the call to action – and hits Cottonmouth where he’ll feel it most.
If you are up to the third episode of Luke Cage on this weekend’s Netflix binge, you are probably fairly satisfied with where the show stands so far.
This episode succeeds in deepening the various narratives, resulting in a signature action sequence.
Non-Spoiler Points
Before drilling down into the episode, we can expand on what we’ve seen overall:
We have a cast that gels. So far all the acting is strong and character nuance is starting to develop.
Luke Cage is thoughtful, if not slightly dorky and seems to have mind of a poet.
Pops is the soul of the show. Everything revolves around his view of community and fairness. His call to action is what propels Luke.
Harlem is basically a character in itself. We’re treated to Harlem in both day and night and the wide camera shots give depth to that environment.
Like many themes within the Marvel Universe, Luke Cage is one of blurred lines between good and bad, love and hate. Even Harlem itself seems to agree.
In this episode, there are numerous scenes that set up the greater conflicts in store for Luke Cage and Harlem. The opening sequence is a touch confusing as it is a glimpse of what happens later – the episode’s story actually begins after the opening credits.
From a storytelling perspective, it makes sense to spend an episode advancing key elements that establish the greater narrative. With the wide variety of scenes, it seems this episode does just that.
Episode Details aka spoliers
This episode is the aftermath of Pops death after the unsanctioned attack on the barber shop by Cottonmouth’s thug.
Luke and the community are devastated. Cottonmouth, an old friend of Pops, is equally devastated. This is one of the blurred lines that are starting to recur throughout each episode. Cheo Coker is pointing the viewer straight at this. Nothing is completely black or white.
The linkages between past and future are significant – Pops ran with Cottonmouth and Chico’s father “back in the day”. Cottonmouth has come full circle as his underling kills Pops and his dirty cop confronts Chico.
Luke Cage ups the ante by attacking Cottonmouth’s operations throughout Harlem, accented simultaneously with an exceptional musical performance by Charles Bradley. This forces Cottonmouth to move his assets towards “Fort Knox” for security. In this case, “Fort Knox” is also know as Crispus Attucks, a housing complex championed by Cottonmouth’s cousin Mariah, a corrupt, yet self-righteous politician.
Crispus Attucks (named for the free African-American who was the first casualty of the American Revolution), might be safe from normal threats, but Luke Cage doubles-down on his ability to defeat any protection Cottonmouth can muster. With The Wu-Tang Clan’s Bring Da Ruckus in the background, Cage brings the heavy to “Fort Knox” resulting in the police scooping up all of Cottonmouth’s cash in the aftermath. This is a devastating move against Cottonmouth, who becomes desperate to recover his money, and make good with Domingo and ultimately the mysterious Diamondback.
One of the few people to know about Luke Cage is Chico. Our dirty cop learns this from Chico and helps Cottonmouth take action against Luke. We leave the episode with Cottonmouth targeting Luke for retribution at Ghenghis Connie’s restaurant, where we leave the episode in its explosive conclusion.
Our findings
This series has been exceptional throughout three episodes. The soundtrack has been simply outstanding, particularly as an accent to the action scenes. One of the fight sequences seemed a bit lackluster, but this is probably attributed to the “blunt trauma” approach of Luke Cage as opposed to what Daredevil scenes might bring. Overall, this episode ratchets up the tensions between Cottonmouth and Luke Cage, as well as exposing other threats and lies. Within this conflict, it’s clear that Harlem as a whole will have to endure an escalation of this conflict.
Horror Films Are A Major Part Of Cinema History. Check Out The Top 3 Movies From Every Decade Since 1920.
No one can deny the role horror films has played within the film industry. From creating the first summer blockbuster to creating a cinematic universe long before Marvel, horror is just as important to movies as anything else.
This list was tough to create because limiting myself to only 3 movies over the span of ten years within each decade is maddening. Also, where do you begin ranking films? So I attempted to form this list by including films based on the film itself, the quality, the legacy, the impact to the genre, and audience reception.
Let me know if you agree with my list in the comments down below!
1920’s
3. ‘The Phantom of the Opera’ (1925)
-Watching this ‘Phantom of the Opera‘ is like watching magic happen. Everything Lon Chaney brought to the Phantom is why we love horror films. 2. ‘Nosferatu’ (1922)
-Before Dracula seduced us all, ‘Nosferatu‘ was there to scare us. Still somehow very gentleman like, the creature Count Orlok is like the godfather of vampires. 1.’The Cabinet Of Dr. Caligari’ (1920)
-The fact is, there would be no ‘Nosferatu‘ without ‘Dr. Caligari‘. This German Expressionism silent movie is the pioneer of amazing horror films.
1930’s
3. Freaks (1932)
-How did Tod Browning follow-up his iconic film ‘Dracula’? By making an even freakier and better film titled ‘Freaks‘. Using real oddities makes this unforgettable. 2. ‘King Kong’ (1933)
-Now, here’s the original massive monster movie. ‘King Kong‘ has a legacy in this industry that is still strong to this day. Kong is seeing the big-screen again in 2017. 1. ‘Bride Of Frankenstein’ (1935)
-The first amazing horror sequel. ‘Bride Of Frankenstein‘ makes everything great about the original even better. Boris Karloff played The Monster to perfection.
1940’s
3. ‘Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein’ (1948)
-Crossovers & extended universes are a dime a dozen nowadays. I think you have Abbott and Costello meet the Universal Monsters to thank for that. 2. ‘Cat People’ (1942)
-Psychological and sexual, ‘Cat People‘ really shines during this time for how subversive it felt. Don’t forget about the infamous swimming pool scene! 1. ‘The Wolf Man’ (1941)
-Like his father before him, Lon Chaney Jr. found a place in horror hearts as one of the best monsters ever. ‘The Wolf Man‘ started the 40’s off with an iconic piece.
1950’s
3. ‘Plan 9 From Outer Space’ (1959)
-Did any other director love making campy horror more than Ed Wood? ‘Plan 9‘ is described as one of the worst movies ever but its legacy says otherwise. 2. ‘Gojira’ or ‘Godzilla’ (1954)
-If King Kong originated the monster movie, ‘Godzilla‘ shattered all previous notions of the genre. Only one of two Japanese films on this list; that’s how amazing it is. 1. ‘Creature from the Black Lagoon’ (1954)
-This has to be the last great Universal Horror film. They ruled the 30’s and 40’s but after ‘Creature From The Black Lagoon‘, horror films were moving forward.
1960’s
3. ‘Night Of The Living Dead’ (1968)
-While the 60’s focused on humans being monsters, George Romero’s ‘Night Of The Living Dead‘ showed you what happens when humans become real monsters. 2. ‘Hour Of The Wolf’ (1968)
–Ingmar Bergman is a director that has influenced so many. His work was always surreal but none were more terrifying & genre defining as “Hour Of The Wolf‘. 1. ‘Psycho’ (1960) -Move goers were forever changed in the 1960. Starting with ‘Peeping Tom‘ but escalating with ‘Psycho‘, gone were scary monsters. Now we had scary people.
1970’s
3. ‘The Exorcist’ (1973)
-‘The Exorcist‘ is not only the best exorcism movie but also one of the greatest films. What movie can make split-pea soup scary & stop people from using ouija boards? 2. ‘Halloween’ (1978)
-No one could have predicted the massive success ‘Halloween‘ would become. The film launched an entire genre and era in cinema history: the slasher movie. 1. ‘Jaws’ (1975)
-There would be no “summer blockbusters” if it wasn’t for ‘Jaws‘. Nothing pushed the horror genre further into the mainstream than this brilliant shark movie.
1980’s
3. ‘Evil Dead 2’ (1987)
-Splatter and gore got popular in the 70’s but late 80’s sequel ‘Evil Dead 2‘ turned it up a notch. In turn, it also made seeing so much blood way more fun. 2. ‘Nightmare On Elm Street (1984)
-How did a disfigured child-murdering slasher become an 80’s star? It all started with this Wes Craven movie. Horror films that followed couldn’t keep up. 1. ‘The Shining’ (1980)
-Notice most “best of” list usually have a Stanley Kubrick film on it? It’s because of films like utterly terrifying ‘The Shining‘. It’s true masterclass filmmaking.
1990’s
3. ‘Silence Of The Lambs’ (1991)
-The only horror film to ever win an Academy Award for Best Picture, ‘Silence Of The Lambs‘ is the most acclaimed film of this list. The 90’s started on a very high note. 2. ‘Funny Games’ (1997) -Like the 1960’s showing humans being real monsters, we got to see that again in 97’s ‘Funny Games‘. Michael Haneke created one of the most shocking films ever. 1. ‘Scream’ (1996)
-Nothing encapsulates a generation like ‘Scream‘. It oozes 90’s meta-humor with some great scares. It changed horror so much that slasher movies died after it.
2000’s
3. ‘Martyrs’ (2008) -France had a major part of horror in the 00’s. French horror is unlike any other. They are nihilistic, graphic, and visually striking. Those traits sum up ‘Martyrs‘. 2. ‘Audition’ (1999/2000) -Getting an American release in 2000, director Takashi Miike created one of of the best Japanese horror exports ever. Others have a bigger name but ‘Audition‘ is art. 1. ‘Saw’ (2004)
-What James Wan did for horror with this 2004 hit is undeniable. ‘Saw‘ became the biggest horror franchise of the new millennium and made gore cool again.
What would you add to this list?
Also, which decade do you think had the best horror films?
Luke Cage is a fascinating TV show for a key reason: it seems to pay more attention to its surrounding characters than its titular hero. This is a consequence of the show’s meticulous world building, but it’s still a bizarre experience to see two police detectives feature more heavily than the main character.
For the first two episodes, Mike Coulter’s Luke Cage is seen as a character that reacts rather than acts. He is content leading a quiet life of solitude, but is becoming more and more aware of the fact that there’s no such thing as a peaceful existence for a man with his past. The world around him continues to present him with challenges, and following the death of a close personal friend, he is ready to take the fight to the streets.
The show’s decision to focus more on world building than character building is a double edged sword. In one way you feel more connected with the world our characters live in, but at the same time you don’t really care about the characters themselves. Mahershala Ali’s suave villain “Cottonmouth” is a continuous highlight, and Coulter does a good job embodying Luke Cage, despite getting surprisingly little material to build on. Most of the other characters that survive past episode 2 feel like cut-outs of more interesting archetypes, and the plot that’s being presented feels rather cliched. The slow build-up works well in the Netflix format, and the few action sequences within the opening episodes are handled with style.
Moving forward, it will be interesting to see how the relationship between Cottonmouth and Luke Cage develops. The ending of the second episode teased a more hands-on Cage, which should bring more action sequences to a dialogue heavy show. Hopefully the writers tones down the prominence of the detective duo, as their appearances feels more like C.S.I.: Harlem than anything particularly interesting to watch.
Luke Cage; the hero-for-hire, Power Man, Avenger, and all around bad-ass has finally gotten his own show. As we grow closer and closer to assembling to The Defenders, Marvel’s first African-American lead comes to Netflix, but is it as bulletproof as its title character?
Luke Cage is a brave show and that is a word that I do not use lightly. Marvel’s previous have not been afraid to explore the thematic depths of humanity, whether it was the nature of law and order in Daredevil or how to live with emotional abuse in Jessica Jones. Race is at the fore of its story, which This show is heavily informed by the African-American experience, reflected in choosing Harlem as its principal location. It would be impossible for Luke Cage, a character created in the wake of the blaxploitation phenomenon, to tip-toe around this issue. Instead, it makes the bold choice of embracing these origins and presents us with a character who truly representative of the history of race in America. Luke Cage isn’t a stereotype, he is a nuanced take on a very all-too familiar reality. The Black Lives Matter movement is name-checked and how could it not be? Today, perhaps more so than ever before, there is something incredibly powerful in the concept of a bullet-proof black man.
Netflix has continued is traditional of impressive villains, eclipsing their big-screen counterparts. Luke Cage finds itself overlapping thematically with Daredevil‘s examination of the corruption of the political class and the disturbing influence of gangsters over ordinary people. Yet from the start, Cottonmouth is established as a different class of criminal than Wilson Fisk, one willing to deal with matters personally, one who values their public persona. He is a symbol of the creeping influence of gangs in African-American communities, the evil that prays on vulnerable youths and turns them into killers. Cottonmouth remarks that “[e]verybody wants to be the king”, and for most young African-Americans the gangs are the only hope of achieving status. This is a social evil not so easily defeated with fists. He is supported by Shades; a hitman and former resident of Seagate prison with a link to Luke’s past. This is a living world, with a rich, interconnected history between the characters, that is slowly revealed throughout the pilot. There is no traditional origin story to see, instead, like Daredevil, our hero’s tragic past is naturally disseminated throughout and only insomuch as it is necessary to serve the wider plot.
All this would be for naught if it was wasn’t supported by a stellar cast with incredibly performances. Mike Coulter remains as charismatic as ever in the title role. Following his reoccurring role in Jessica Jones last year, it was evident that he had the acting chops to carry his own show. Thankfully, he has been given the material worthy of a man of his talents. He doesn’t seek the spotlight, but is slowly coming around to his community’s need of a hero in this opening episode. Strong turns from Simone Missick as Misty Knight and Alfre Woodard as sleazy politician; Mariah Dillard, bolster an outstanding display of acting from all involved.
The rumours are true, Luke Cage is as good as everyone says it is. It is thematically resonant in way few shows are and moreso than it probably had a right to be. This will re-invigorate the character in the way that Netflix has done for the rest of its Defenders‘ lineup. No longer to be resided to the D-List, Luke Cage doesn’t need his Power-Man moniker to be the hero that we need. It’s about time an African-American man was bulletproof.
Not very surprising. They’ve had characters come out before.
This year marks Wonder Woman’s 75th birthday, and the writers at DC Comics continue to surprise fans.
In a Comicosity interview, Greg Rucka confirms Wonder Woman has had relationships with other women in the past. When asked if Diana is gay, he responds as follows: “How are we defining “queer?” You’re applying a term specifically and talking to an ostensibly cis male (and white to boot), so “queer” to me may not be the same as it is to an out gay man. So, tell me what queer is.”
Rucka remains steadfast on the content of his series. “I believe very firmly that the answer should be in the text. It really shouldn’t matter what I say to you,” he says. “It only matters what you can read in the published work. What you can find in the text.”
In retrospect, scenes like this one make sense
He goes on to elaborate on Themyscira, saying “But an Amazon doesn’t look at another Amazon and say, “You’re gay.” They don’t. The concept doesn’t exist.”
“My personal politics are absolutely always going to influence how I write what I write. But at the end of the day, what I believe doesn’t matter. What matters is what you leave the book with.”
Rucka makes his feelings clear on the writing. “It doesn’t matter if I say, “Yes, she’s queer.” Or “No, she’s not queer”, he says. “It matters what you get out of the book. Can you find it? Is it there? Is it on the page in action or in deed? Then, there’s your answer.”
I’m sure we won’t be seeing Gal Gadot wear a chain around her neck in the Wonder Woman movie.
According to Rucka, the idea of Diana leaving home for Steve Trevor would take away from her character. He says that “if she does that because she’s fallen for a guy, I believe that diminishes her heroism. She doesn’t leave because of Steve. She leaves because she wants to see the world and somebody must go and do this thing.”
The first official synopsis for War For The Planet Of The Apes has been released, via Heroic Hollywood.
“In War for the Planet of the Apes, the third chapter of the critically acclaimed blockbuster franchise, Caesar and his apes are forced into a deadly conflict with an army of humans led by a ruthless Colonel. After the apes suffer unimaginable losses, Caesar wrestles with his darker instincts and begins his own mythic quest to avenge his kind. As the journey finally brings them face to face, Caesar and the Colonel are pitted against each other in an epic battle that will determine the fate of both their species and the future of the planet.”
Along with the synopsis released, it’s been announced that the film will have a presence at the upcoming New York Comic-Con.
Director Matt Reeves, Producer Dylan Clark, and Andy Serkis are going to be in town on October 6 to show off some behind-the-scenes material; this will take place at 8:30 P.M. at the Regal E-Walk theater. Additionally, Serkis is set to take part in a Q&A at 3 P.M. at the Madison Square Garden theater.
War For The Planet Of The Apes is slated for a July 14, 2017 release date.
