The Marvel Cinematic Universe will begin filming its biggest blockbuster to date in November when back-to-back production starts for ‘Avengers: Infinity War’ and Avengers 4.
While promoting ‘Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children,’ Samuel L. Jackson confirmed that you would see Nick Fury sooner than later, according to Coming Soon.
‘There’s some way of fixing what they created, and hopefully somebody has that going on, or Nick Fury is out there – wherever he is, probably hanging out with Jules and walking the world – figuring out what happened and how it got to that particular place,’ said Jackson.
‘Maybe they’ll find out that all that was part of a ruse to get to something else also. That would be great. They’ll bring me back somehow, some way, for some reason. I mean, they didn’t have me around to referee the kids when they didn’t go to their rooms and got in this big old fight. We’ll see what happens,’ said Jackson.
It will be interesting how S.H.I.E.L.D. is reintroduced in the MCU as there are five films before ‘Avengers: Infinity War’s’ May 4, 2018, release date. Could Fury return before then, and in which film?
MCU FILM SCHEDULE
‘Doctor Strange’ – November 4, 2016
‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2’ – May 5, 2017
‘Spider-Man: Homecoming’ – July 7, 2017
‘Thor: Ragnarok’ – November 3, 2017
‘Black Panther’ – February 16, 2018
‘Avengers: Infinity War’ – May 4, 2018
‘Ant-Man and the Wasp’ – July 6, 2018
‘Captain Marvel’ – March 8, 2019
Untitled Avengers – May 3, 2019
The origin of M.A.S.K.! Miles Mayhem’s decades long plans are finally coming to fruition, but will the revealed secrets he has hidden from Matt Trakker create a new enemy bent on Mayhem’s undoing? A special story tying directly into REVOLUTION!
Writing
Crossover events usually establish a new group of characters after the storyline comes to an end. In an effort to try and flip the idea on its head, IDW has instead used their new crossover event, Revolution, to introduce the classic team of individuals with transforming vehicles known as M.A.S.K.. Using all the mythologies the IDW universe has to offer, the group is formed as a sub organization of G.I. Joe and their weapons and vehicles are specifically designed to be used to stop the Transformers. Writer Brandon Easton is taking full advantage of what is happening with the crossover and is using it spectacularly. This issue offers great world building but also captures the spirit and feel of the original characters. Compared to other issues which serve to reintroduce a classic franchise to a new audience, this one accomplishes its goal in the first issue.
Artwork
Artists Tony Vargas and Jordi Escuin, really bring a great look to the issue. The characters are crisp and detailed but many still have the look of the original characters. They did manage to keep the vehicles looking the same, but it’s the only detail they really needed to cling to as they decided to update the series.
Conclusion
Fans of M.A.S.K. rejoice. The Team is off to a great start with their introduction to the IDW universe. With the option of dealing with characters from other IDW properties (G.I. Joe, Action Man) on top of reintroducing characters from their own franchise, this series has a long and entertaining road ahead of it.
Terry Gilliam has given us a handful of terrific, eclectic films throughout his decades-long career, but none with as much emotional depth and love as The Fisher King. It is a story of personal peaks and valleys, of redemption driven by ego and, ultimately, a desire to help one another. And while Gilliam’s personal aesthetic and his magic realism play heavy here, The Fisher King is his most human tale. The themes here resonate now more than ever, in a country and a planet divided, that perhaps our best road to redemption is selflessness and charity and seeking a connection in unexpected places, with unexpected people.
It tells the story of Jack (Jeff Bridges, doing some of his best early work), an AM talk show host who spends his days shouting into a spittle-soaked microphone, airing ego-fueled criticisms of society over the airwaves – 1991 was a hot time for these sorts of shock jock talk show hosts. It was the era of Stern and Limbaugh, and all manner of narcissistic assholes like Jack. But Gilliam makes it clear to us that these words are the prison of Jack’s own self-obsession; the lighting on the walls doesn’t mimic prison bars for no reason.
So consumed with the sound of his own voice is Jack, he doesn’t even realize when he tells one of his truly disturbed callers that all these “yuppie scum” need to be “taken out.” This caller does just that, in a scene all-too-familiar these days – but truly outlandish in 1991. He shotguns a nightclub full of rich Manhattanites. Jack sees this on his television, perched high in the Manhattan sky in a corner penthouse… and the heavy dose of reality is too much for him to handle. He falls, and falls hard, all the way from a smooth-skinned slick Manhattan socialite, to a whiskey-swigging loser living in a dilapidated apartment above the video store where he now works. All fame and fortune has disappeared at the bottom of a bottle.
This is when Gilliam flexes his stylistic muscles. The early scenes of Jack as King of The World are glossy and sharp, and the camera floats above and away from him. After the fall, however, Gilliam’s camera pushes in on Jack’s grizzled, greasy exterior. The angles are low, and the grit and soggy sadness of this “real” New York is noticeably more dour and unforgiving. And so Jack must wallow in his own self pity, pulling his girlfriend down into the muck alongside him.
His girlfriend, Anne, is played by Mercedes Ruehl, and her Best Supporting Actress Oscar is one of the more justifiable wins in the Academy’s history. Ruehl is captivating as this woman, a streetwise New Yorker whose clearly spent her life propping up burnouts and losers in the hopes of finding love. She’s been through this sort of piss-poor excuse for an emotional relationship before, but what else is she supposed to do? She accepts it. Ruehl does it all in her appearance – a little too bronze, a little too cheetah-print and hair product – and her far off gazes at Jack, who barely bothers to notice her while spiraling deeper into the hole of his own misery.
One night, Jack’s bender takes him to the bay where he plans on killing himself. But he is interrupted by a couple of kids in a jeep who are busy hunting homeless people (the homeless problem in New York was at its peak in the late 80s and early 90s). He is rescued by Parry, a knight of the lonely, a crazed underground adventurer played by Robin Williams. It’s here where Gilliam pivots yet again, and the mythological elements begin to creep in. Jack owes Parry a debt of gratitude, one he finds out runs deeper than he could have ever imagined, and The Fisher King then becomes a push and pull for Jack, who wants to help Parry meet the woman of his dreams while – more importantly to him early on – finding his own redemption. This is Williams at his most balanced manic energy and sadness, and he hits all the right notes.
Gilliam finds beauty in this world, thanks in part to his own creative flourishes, and thanks in no small part to the predictably energetic but deeply affected performance from Williams. We discover Parry’s wife was one of the victims in the Manhattan nightclub, and it sent Parry into his own spiral of sadness and eventual insanity. He has a quest, as knights are want to do, and it involves stealing “The Holy Grail” from a rich dude’s house in uptown. He pulls Jack along on this quest, and Jack simultaneously sets him up with Lydia, the clumsy oddball he’s smitten with played by Amanda Plummer.
The most beautiful moment takes place in Grand Central Station, when Parry follows Lydia though the bustling midday crowd. Out of nowhere, the clock in the center of the station transforms into a disco ball, and music plays, and everyone dances with one another while Parry and Lydia glide through their movements. It’s a beautiful moment; a flourish, but a flourish that taps into the spirit of the entire film. There is love to be found between everyone, even between the two people in this moment who are not embraced in dance. They just don’t know it yet.
The Fisher King gradually evolves as Jack finds success again, but is sick to his stomach after leaving Anne and his life of sadness behind. It was a life of misery and near poverty, but it was full of love, and Jack only understands this once he is momentarily pushed back into the Manhattan high rise. By the time he figures this out, however, Pary has had another run in with “The Red Knight,” a monstrous demon knight of his imagination who resembles the blood spatter of his wife form the nightclub. He has a breakdown, and is left to die after an attack. The only thing that seems to have the power to pull him out of his coma is that Holy Grail.
Only it isn’t the Holy Grail, it’s the fact Jack has to retrieve it. The selflessness of the act is the important thing here, not the artifact itself. And that is what’s at the core of The Fisher King. No matter the different lives we all lead, or the despair we suffer, someone else exists on the opposite end of the spectrum, and their pain an suffering is just as palpable, maybe even more so, than ours. This is a film about understanding the other side, and what it means to truly care about another individual. It’s a powerful theme, a heavy and clear theme, and one defined to near perfection by Gilliam, screenwriter Richard LaGravenese, and the wonderful performances.
“Event Note: This Footage Event will showcase a total of 15 minutes of the film in IMAX 3D! It is NOT a full advance screening of the film. Fans who attend this exclusive sneak peek will also receive a limited-edition, collectible “Doctor Strange” IMAX poster! While supplies last.”
Are you planning on seeing this 15 minute sneak peak in an IMAX theater near you? Let us know in the comments down below.
“From Marvel comes “Doctor Strange,” the story of world-famous neurosurgeon Dr. Stephen Strange whose life changes forever after a horrific car accident robs him of the use of his hands. When traditional medicine fails him, he is forced to look for healing, and hope, in an unlikely place—a mysterious enclave known as Kamar-Taj. He quickly learns that this is not just a center for healing but also the front line of a battle against unseen dark forces bent on destroying our reality. Before long Strange—armed with newly acquired magical powers—is forced to choose whether to return to his life of fortune and status or leave it all behind to defend the world as the most powerful sorcerer in existence.”
Sweetness and Lightning should instead be called Flavor and Lightning. For while watching I tasted sweetness, sourness, spiciness and sadly a heaping helping of blandness. Sweetness and Lightning is a prime example of how to plant an already live tree in your yard and when it dies you look at your dry watering can in regret. However I enjoyed the show regardless for its dry nature during its progression and I think it may be for the most part due to my backlash towards Otaku culture.
A fresh idea is sometimes really dangerous. To a person who’s sole job it is to analyze media, a fresh idea is seen as on opportunity to delve into fresh “ideas”. Idea’s as in things to think about. Sweetness and Lightning certainly deals with an idea that is still pretty fresh in the anime world. Even though there have been single dad shows before, I find the presence of such a realistic child and a father who is so tired that he looks like he’s always on the verge of collapse refreshing. Sweetness and Lightning is a sweet idea. Father (Kouhei) needs to learn how to cook for his daughter(Tsumugi). High school girl (Kotori) who’s mom is too busy to cook provides a place to cook. They all three learn to cook, and life happens. Each episode it set up in this formula. Life happens, and then its fixed by cooking. Now I like the idea that eating food can heal the heart. But I don’t need to see it twelve times in a row with the same characters, especially if none of these characters really change because of the healing food. Kouhei more or less just decides to start doing right by Tsumugi and learn to cook. It’s not something that happens because of the magic of good food. Honestly I watch the cooking scenes at double speed after episode six because it was so boring. Which was a catch 22 because usually the only time Kotori shows up is at these parts, and she’s such wife material it hurts. Honestly the only thing that didn’t get old was her and the way she would always eat to quell her emotions and her love for food. Would have been cool if they had slightly touched on that, like at all. I mean come the fuck on! But she’s just used as a plot device to get the Kouhei and Tsumugi cooking and fix their problems. Who really care’s about her problems, right? The show brings them up so you know (to make you feel bad) but it’s not explored or relevant.
Most of the drama has to do with their dead wife/mother. For the most part this is handled very well. The show has a tendency to play the “replacement” card multiple times. Whether it’s getting a new bag, or making her signature dish, or just cooking again. Sweetness and Lightning doesn’t really explore all the facets that people who lose someone go through. There wasn’t enough emotions or instances where they related the feeling of loss because she wasn’t around anymore. Which is weird because it’s a show about a single dad raising his daughter, and not once did the dad break down because he couldn’t handle raising her now that his wife was gone. I’m not talking feeding. I mean the things a mother teaches her daughter or children in general and things a father is ill-equipped to deal with. Or the emotional comfort that comes from the partnership of a married couple. Also the dad is like the perfect dad for the most part and so is the kid to some extent. I mean Kouhei never really does anything out of line or feels unequipped to handle things. He’s busy but always find’s a way. And Tsumugi never acts like an actual brat. They even go so far as to show how cute she is compared to the other kids in her daycare. There are moments where she is doing legit cute things and being adorable but the show doesn’t let it happen naturally enough and it gets eye-roily, the moment it stops becoming nostalgic of childhood. Walking along street lines while singing a song, cute. Dancing spontaneously, cute. Being superior and having a better sense than other kids in your class while still maintaining your eccentricities, nope sorry. This is a minor point since it doesn’t happen too often, but it’s enough.
I mean having a story where your main character is a child thats so young is difficult in its own right. Most of the time kids aren’t that interesting. This girl could have had a five minute Youtube video and I would get everything I needed to know about her. It’s not her fault, kids are newer and don’t have as much baggage to unpack as adults and to some extent, young adults. So to keep her relevant and make her feel natural in the story everything has to be really boiled down and lukewarm so Tsumugi can stomach it. Not many people want to watch a show about a kid breaking down over things she doesn’t understand. Also so it can have a “lesson of the week” formula. And maybe the show isn’t trying to be some dramatic rollercoaster of two people getting their shit together after a tragic life event. But if not what is it doing. Is it setting up a relationship between the high school girl and dad together to help fill in the void in their lives. It plays with it, but more in a comedic way, not the same way it deals with its dead mom emotions. I mean there are just so much of the same dead mom emotion that it gets tiring after a while, and like I said they’re not complex enough to warrant any thought other than, “I understand” and then maybe a little sniff.
The tone of the show is uplifting for sure but it always starts by punching us down into some sort of slight depression where it can raise us back up. I’m not down for this kind of entertainment. It’s not worth it. The pay off isn’t good enough. The little girls smile isn’t enough for me to sit through twenty minutes of cooking and mostly functional family having a slight problem. I could even exaggerate that other than the mom stuff, this is a classic first world problems story. It’s something people who’ve been well off their whole life can look at and be shocked by how sad it is and feel for the characters. That sounds pretentious as hell. Who am I to judged how severe someones problems are on an individual level, right? Just because I don’t think their problems are relevant doesn’t mean that they aren’t relevant to someone else, or even helpful. That’s why I’m torn of Sweetness and Lightning. At times I almost feel like it’s grabbing my heart, but its episodic structure and reluctance to actually give its characters real problems is an annoyance. But I feel that someone else could find it helpful and I just want something more raw. There is something great about seeing two rather normal people deal with an out of the blue life incident and deal with it fine, for the most part. It’s just not what I want to see. Which is weird since I went into this show excited for this concept. What I’m saying is that I don’t value the way that this show is presenting its ideas very highly. And all the things I initially did enjoy never got developed or got to repetitive for me to care anymore. I find it even hard to talk about this show because everything it’s saying is so basic it really doesn’t mean anything other than what its presenting. And those things are so personal it’s too subjective to review but don’t last long enough to actually develop and think about. Sweetness and Lightning was fun for the first few episodes but got old fast and wouldn’t hurt as something to put on in the background. Like lighting the appeal of this show struck intently and then was gone.
Spider-Man: Homecoming is living up to its name as the cast and crew moved from Atlanta to Queens this week. Since the move, tons of photos surfaced online of Tom Holland both in and out of his Spidey suit.
Spider-Man Comes Home
If New York could wear a t-shirt, it would probably read “I heart Marvel”. The city loves their superheroes and treats them like real royalty, most recently with a real-life statue for Captain America in Brooklyn. But Queens is catching up in the race for Marvel cred, as the Homecoming crew is now filming in the streets and skies there.
With open sets comes greater visibility, and fans are flocking to the area to get their own shots of the Spider-Man cast and crew. Holland has been caught on film in subways, alleys, and right on the streets in Queens. However, he’s doing some photo sharing of his own on his personal instagram.
While my personal favorite costume is this fancy pjama set, the photos also show us Holland sans-CGI all suited up (above). This is a nice change from the plentiful stop motion shots, or stunt double pictures we’ve gotten before.
Tom Holland Brings Spider-Man To the Ground
Some folks were worried that Spider-Man was getting too far from his comics roots. Objections were plentiful–he’s too Hollywood, he’s played by actors that are too old etc. But Holland brings the Peter Parker back to Spider-Man, and it shows. Holland looks equally as home in his pithy t-shirts as he does on the red carpet. The fan response since the Queens photos emerged is generally positive, from fans old and new alike.
Based on characters from Marvel comics, Spider-Man: Homecoming is directed by Jon Watts. Homecoming stars Tom Holland (Peter Parker), Robert Downy Jr. (Tony Stark), Zendaya (Michelle???) and Marisa Tomei (Aunt May).
Homecoming‘s current release date is July 7th, 2017.
Viola Davis is all over the place these days. It feels good to say that. How to Get Away with Murder season three premiered on ABC last Thursday, the first trailer for Denzel Washington’s Fences hit the web this morning and now, she’s joining director Steve McQueen (12 Years a Slave) for his next project, the heist thriller Widows, written by McQueen and Gillian Flynn (Gone Girl). “Say no more, I’m sold,” I can hear you say. I know. Same here. But please, let me continue.
As Variety reports (via Collider), Widows is based on 2002 British mini-series of the same name. It’s centered around four armed bank robbers killed in a failed heist, leaving their widows to finish the job. This is a rather pulpy, commercial and unexpected turn for the Academy Award-winning director, and I couldn’t be happier to see it. The director has remained closely knit to serious character dramas throughout this career, and it’s very exciting to see him stretch his wings and fly a little higher. Plus, he’s a singular talent, so his talents will undoubtably shine no matter what. With Flynn’s voice, it’s certain to have an extra kick as well.
Widows will come nearly four years after McQueen’s last film. Although the director was once set to make the HBO limited series Codes of Conduct, the station backed out and McQueen sadly moved on. It’s a pity, because its exploration of race involved in that piece seemed both timely and massively relevant these days. It also would have been great to see what McQueen could do in the TV medium.
Expect a murderer’s row with this ensemble, though. And yes, that pun was intended. Jennifer Lawrence was also reportedly sought for a part, but scheduling conflicts prevented her from coming onboard. Though it’s unclear who else is considered at this time, we should hear more details soon. Meanwhile, Davis is busy filming How to Get Away with Murder, but she’ll be on hiatus next spring. That’s likely when production begins on this new movie.
According to Entertainment Weekly, Stan Lee has already filmed cameos for the next four Marvel movies.
So not Fired
Stan Lee is 93 years old. Stan Lee will (probably) not live forever. Stan Lee has also become a staple in Marvel films, ever since his first cameo in 2000’s X-Men. Now, Marvel fans hold their breath during each film, waiting for Lee’s cameo as some random extra with one line. Everyone has a favorite. Everyone is dreading the day that we get a movie without it.
In order to stave off the inevitable, Lee filmed four cameos at once recently in Atlanta. Marvel filmed chunks of Civil War in Atlanta, so it’s no surprise that Lee joined the crew and knocked off a few of his cameos while they were there. Kevin Feige explained more:
“We do not shoot random ones. They’re always specific. A couple of months ago in Atlanta, [Lee] flew down and we shot four in one day — for four various projects. They’re all awesome! They’re all totally different. And he was unbelievable. He was on fire. He came in, he sat here, he stood there, he stood in this window, and then he went home.”
Feige announced this unconventional filming schedule at a recent screening of Captain America: Civil War in Los Angeles. The one detail he left out, however, is which movies they filmed the cameos for. While we’re waiting on Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 2 and Doctor Strange to release later this year, Thor 3: Ragnarok and Spider-Man are still filming. Whether the cameos are for these next for films, or something else entirely is yet to be seen. Lee may have filmed the cameos all at once in order to capitalize on the talent on hand while filming Civil War. While he usually doesn’t interact with anyone (and especially not the stars) during his cameos, there’s a first time for everything.
Morris From America tells the story of a 13 year old boy (Markees Christmas) whose father (Craig Robinson) moves them to Germany for his job. Young Mo has to adjust to his new life in a strange land, while also dealing with normal adolescent obstacles. It’s a simple premise, but a journey worth following nonetheless.
Coming-of-age stories are nothing new, and Morris hits all of the usual beats. Mo struggles to fit in with his peers, he’s presented with drugs and alcohol, and then there’s the awkward teenage love interest (“there’s always a girl Mo,” as his father tells him). It’s a tried and true formula, but writer/director Chad Hartigan at least tries to put a fresh spin on it to keep the audience interested.
By moving Morris to Germany, Hartigan takes the teen’s isolation to a whole new level. Mo doesn’t just feel like an outsider; he is one. He literally doesn’t speak the same language as those around him. Plus he’s the only black kid in the town, which adds prejudice to his list of problems (when a joint is found near the youth center, Morris is the first one questioned).
But even with the slight twist, the overall story can still feel pretty paint-by-numbers at times. It’s just not compelling to watch Morris get picked on at the youth center, or to see him be strung along by the cute, rebellious older girl. In fact, these are the scenes where I wanted to check out mentally. And I would have if it weren’t for the smaller, more intimate moments that save the film from mediocrity and make it all worthwhile.
Craig Robinson knocks it out of the park as Morris’ dad Curtis, and his chemistry with Markees Christmas couldn’t be better. Their father-son dynamic alone is worth the price of admission, and makes for the most pure and charming scenes of the entire movie. Robinson actually delivers a few powerful solo scenes as well; it’s a pity that there weren’t more of them.
That’s actually the biggest gripe with Morris From America: Hartigan introduces elements with a ton of promise, but doesn’t develop them far enough. Curtis is a single father still dealing with the loss of his wife, but the script barely scratches the surface of this. Robinson could’ve been given a much largest subplot to play with; it would’ve been great based on the handful of dramatic scenes he did have. It’s a small gripe, but one still worth mentioning.
Overall, Morris From America is a good film with a lot of promise. It’s worth watching, especially for Craig Robinson’s performance and his chemistry with newcomer Markees Christmas, but don’t expect it to usurp your current favorite coming-of-age story.
Paramount Pictures Tuesday morning, released the first trailer for ‘Fences’ directed by Denzel Washington from a screenplay by August Wilson, adapted from Wilson’s Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning play.
Washington is pushing hard for an Oscar for this film and cast. Just from the trailer, Viola Davis will get a best actress nomination.
‘Fences’ stars Denzel Washington, Viola Davis, Jovan Adepo, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Russell Hornsby, Mykelti Williamson, and Saniyya Sydney.
The Washington directed feature hits theaters on Christmas Day.
About August Wilson’s ‘Fences’
The sixth Play in Wilson’s Pittsburgh Cycle, Fences takes place in 1957 in what is assumed to be Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The play follows Troy Maxson, a 53-year-old man who struggles to provide for his wife and son in a time when slavery is over but the civil rights movement has still not come to fruition. Troy used to be an amazing baseball player, but was not able to make it to the Major Leagues due to the color of his skin. Troy has had to settle into the life of being a trash collector and barely scraping by, and this causes a lot of turmoil and frustration, especially in his relationships. Wilson’s play deals with dreams deferred and what it means to be a man, as well as covering themes of family and loyalty. Most notably, we see a marriage that looks loving and successful at the outset begin to fall apart as Troy’s lack of self-respect starts to crumble everything around him.
In order to stave off the inevitable, Lee filmed four cameos at once recently in Atlanta. Marvel filmed chunks of Civil War in Atlanta, so it’s no surprise that Lee joined the crew and knocked off a few of his cameos while they were there. Kevin Feige 
