Jaime Reyes has returned with the scarab on his back which allows him to turn into an armored alien weapon. In his new series, he’ll be getting backup from Ted Kord, the second Blue Beetle, who will help Jaime as he works to balance school and fighting crime. This issue serves to set up what to expect from the new series and these are the top five moments to come out of it.
5. Back Breaking Work
It’s never easy being a hero. It’s also not easy when you’re fighting off super villains and civilians are still in the area. Still, thanks to the armor, Jaime is able to deploy his wings in time to stop the roof from crushing a group of people, and gives them the time they need to evacuate. It’s a very catching scene which causes even Ted Kord to give a cheer.
4. Robots?!
Don’t you just hate it when you think you have beaten your opponents only to find they are robots who can put themselves back together? Rack and Ruin, two villains who specifically call out the Blue Beetle, end up getting destroyed in the heat of battle. This is surprising considering earlier in the issue they took a coffee break. It makes you ask, “Why would a robot drink coffee?”
3. My Best Friend’s Aunt
The issue closes by revealing Jaime’s friend Brenda has an Aunt who is in actuality more than she seems. She appears to be behind the attack involving Rack and Ruin and seems to have her sights set on the Blue Beetle. What is her plan and what does she want with Jaime? This will no doubt be revealed in the new series.
2. New and Old
There is a good dynamic going on between the two Blue Beetles and it’s best shown here as Ted calls Jaime into battle. Ted informs him of Rack and Ruin showing up, and Jaime is just trying to make it to school on time. It’s an interesting conversation but really shows what kind of relationship the two of them possess.
1. The Doctor makes a house call
Dr. Fate is the DC Universe’s expert in all things magical. He is always a force not to be taken lightly. Him appearing out of nowhere in your base and telling you how much of a mistake you are making is never a good thing. Still, this is what happens to Ted Kord, and Dr. Fate informs him that the scarab is dangerous. This out of nowhere appearance, complete with a dangerous warning about the future, easily stole the number one spot on this list.
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What were your favorite moments from Blue Beetle: Rebirth #1? Leave a comment below and let us know.
Where were you when you first saw the poster for the 2016 Ben-Hur remake? It had to be a memorable time, a surreal moment of realization, however indifferent, that Hollywood had lost its damn mind.
I think I was walking through the movie theater, and if memory serves I pulled a muscle in my neck doing a double take. Was that… Jack Huston? As Mr. Hur? Surely not, unless, was this new Ben-Hur set to be a gritty, low-budget indie remake of the 1959 William Wyler epic? Maybe that was the case. It’s really the only explanation for the lead role being occupied by an actor (and an impressive one, make no mistake) recognizable to less than 10% of the population, mostly as a supporting character he played on an HBO series that ended two years ago. Yeah, this Ben-Hur was surely going to be a bare-bones character study.
But that poster sure didn’t indicate as much.
Of course, nobody really thought this Ben-Hur was going to be a low-budget indie rehash of a massive biblical tale. It was definitely going to be an empty, soulless remake made for a King’s ransom that would wind up tying a big ungainly bow on one of the most mediocre summer movie seasons in recent memory. I had no interest in seeing this thing, and I could not for the life of me imagine anyone I knew, even remotely through friends of friends of acquaintances, who would waste their time seeing a product so obviously inferior to the original.
So yeah, I didn’t see Ben-Hur2.0, but I didn’t need to to know it was a horrible idea and undoubtedly a thankless endeavor. Sometimes expectations turn into reality without having to fully experience said reality. Huston in the lead role was weird enough, but then there was Morgan Freeman – not really Se7en or Shawshank Morgan Freeman, more like High Crimes or Transcendence “I-Need-A-New-Beach-House” Morgan Freeman – in gray dreadlocks. Beyond that, there was not one marketable name attached to the project. The director? Timur Bekmambetov, of Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter and Wanted fame. Again, the lack of marketable names isn’t an issue… when you’re making a small film.
What. The. Hell.
Look, all of these people deserve the best. They’ve made a name for themselves in Hollywood, more than what most can accomplish in their lives, and they’ve all turned in some good work. Huston has legit potential in the right role – he was haunting in Boardwalk Empire – and Morgan Freeman is Morgan Freeman. Even Bekmambetov’s breakout feature, Night Watch, is good stuff. But how on earth or any other celestial body in the galaxy could any of these people, not to mention the studios (Paramount and MGM shelled out hella cash for this thing) think this was going to be a success? It’s one of the more baffling decisions on which tinseltown has followed through, and the end result is now one of the definitive cautionary tales of big-studio misfires in cinematic history.
Ben-Hur brought in just a little over $11 million last weekend. In it’s first weekend. The budget JUST FOR MAKING THE THING was $100 million, and untold dozens of millions followed that on the marketing side. When all is said and done, this turd is expected to lose $100 million at the box office. Reviews weren’t the absolute worst, plenty of movies register under 29% (cough, Suicide Squad, cough), but this was more about the conception, the execution, and the very reason (or lack thereof) for its existence; and in the end the reviews didn’t help quell what so many millions of us already knew.
Heads will roll on this one. I’m sure more than one suit in So Cal has lost hours upon hours of sleep these last few days, but if they had the foresight so many millions of moviegoers had in the weeks and months leading up to this colossal failure last weekend, this all could have been avoided. Remaking Ben-Hur is a profoundly terrible idea in and of itself. What’s more, remaking a film beloved by so many with a cut-rate cast and a budget that appears to have gone mostly to craft services, then dumping it in the purgatory that is late August, is one of the most confounding series of events, so much so that trying to cobble together some Mad Libs style remake pitch and throwing “release date darts” at a calendar would end up making more sense.
To be fair (sorta), studio execs might have hoped for international box office and the “Christian Right” to recoup the budget. But that’s, quite frankly, an insult to Christians on rights or lefts or anywhere else, and a big “F You” to foreign audiences. You think these people couldn’t tell what a piece of shit this movie was going to be from the outset? It was more obvious than Rudy Giuliani’s upcoming November ballot.
When all is said and done, though, Ben-Hur won’t change things in Hollywood. They’ll still churn out ill-conceived remakes and sequels to movies nobody wants, and they will lose money too. Someone will probably get fired for thinking they were good ideas, even though at least a dozen people surrounding the poor bastard who’s now cleaning out his or her office should have sensed the impending disaster. Then again, perhaps – and this is such a stretch I can barely type it out – Ben-Hur will wind up being such a colossal failure, things will change.
What if this debacle has made some studio execs tuck that spec script for a Lawrence of Arabia reboot back in the bottom drawer of their desk, lock the drawer, and throw the key out of the open window of their Tesla as they speed down the 101? Maybe some cigar-chomping suit called McG and told him “let’s hold off on that Casablanca reimagining for the time being.” The head of Paramount might think twice when he hears Max Landis’s idea for a “millennial’s take” on Network.
The hydrogen-filled zeppelin that is Ben-Hur might have actually saved the world from Brett Ratner’s The Godfather.
Surprise! Here comes Rings, a sequel/reboot to the 2002 hit horror film The Ring – an adaptation of the 1998 Japanese thriller, Ringu. There was already one sequel, The Ring 2, back in 2005, but really nobody remembers that one.
Samara is back, and her tech has been updated for 2016. Now she has to crawl out of flatscreens. Check out the trailer:
Julia becomes worried about her boyfriend, Holt, when he explores the dark urban legend of a mysterious videotape said to kill the watcher seven days after viewing. She sacrifices herself to save her boyfriend and in doing so makes a horrifying discovery: there is a “movie within the movie” that no one has ever seen before.
So there you have it. Relative unknowns Matilda Lutz, Alex Roe, Bonnie Morgan, and Aimee Teegarden star alongside Johnny Galecki and Vincent D’Onofrio, who’s always nice to have around for a little bit of weird craziness. I like the new tricks in the film, especially the airplane scene where Samara gets into all those personal monitors.
Rings will open October 28. Are you pumped to see this new entry?
Comics creators come together to celebrate their mutual love of the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers! From short stories like “The Origin of Goldar” to “What Would Happen If Bulk and Skull Became Rangers?”, this oversized anthology collection features contributions from creators like Terry Moore (Strangers in Paradise), Rob Guillory (Chew), James Kochalka (Monkey vs Robot), and more!
Writing
The first Mighty Morphinannual from Boom! Studios is a wonderful offering of different short stories all taking place in the Power Rangers Universe. Tales such as “A Week in the Life” by Kyle Higgins tells a simple story of Jason trying to balance his school, his life, and being a Ranger all at the same time. “A Spot of Trouble” looks at Trini and Kimberly as they try to help with a party, only to find it under attack by monsters. Each of these stories offers a very interesting look at what different writers and artists can accomplish with the different characters and settings.
The story which really makes the annual so good is “Only The Strong” by Trey Moore. It offers a perfect mixture of deep storytelling while tapping into the different mythologies which came together to make Power Rangers the long saga is has become. With any luck, Mr. Moore will have another opportunity in the future to write and draw more stories in this series.
Artwork
The different art styles in the book don’t really accentuate one another, but instead seem to stand out on their own. Marguerite Bennett’s style in “A Spot of Trouble” helps to sell the story as much more whimsical, like something out of a fairy tale. Jorge Corona’s style from “What Makes A Ranger” has a roughness to the story which makes it appear harsh but heartwarming all at the same time. Each story is unique and offers a different take on many familiar characters.
Conclusion
This celebration of the Power Rangers truly is a welcomed sight. It helps to prove all which can be done with the tapestry of the mythology behind the Power Rangers Universe. Hopefully this is not the last time a group decides to get together to celebrate how much this series means to them.
The first TV spot for season 3 of The Flash has been released. Check it out below.
“Blinded by anger, Barry unwittingly plays into Zoom’s game and uncovers the evil speedster’s true goal: to destroy all Earths in the multiverse. In the race of his life, Barry ultimately gets the upper hand against Zoom and defeats his nemesis. But unable to celebrate victory, Barry makes a world-shaking decision and speeds back in time to the night his mother died to stop Reverse Flash from killing her, irrevocably changing his past and redetermining his future.”
Season three of The Flash speeds onto The CW starting October 4.
Director Joe Carnahan is doing what most directors do about their upcoming projects, pumping them up in the media to build excitement. And he says his next project, Bad Boys 3 – which is now called Bad Boys for Life – is “the strongest script” yet.
According to Carnahan, [Bad Boys For Life is] the strongest script of any of those movies. Hands down. In a walk over. Unless you’re Toy Story 3, usually third ones aren’t the strongest, and I think this one will be the strongest of the trilogy thus far.” He also says “there’s a lot of funny shit in this movie,” which kind of goes without saying.
Now, the Bad Boys franchise has never been anchored by some whip smart screenplay as much as it was bolstered by the brilliant chemistry and riffing between its two massive (at the time) stars, Will Smith and Martin Lawrence. The original Bad Boys is one of Michael Bay’s best, and Bad Boys II is… something indeed. Calling it “great” feels really weird, because it’s really awful and hateful and extreme. But, if you’re able to separate what cinema should be from what it is here, in this hermetically sealed alt-world of Michael Bay insanity, perhaps Bad Boys II is a work of mad genius. Curtis Waugh certainly thinks so.
Bad Boys for Life will release January 12, 2018 (eek!). But we know Will Smith and Martin Lawrence are back, obviously, and Joe Carnahan is directing. As for that screenplay, well, it’s written by Joe Carnahan with assists from David Guggenheim and Anthony Tambakis. So there’s that.
ONE-MAN SEIGE! ACTION MAN moves in on DOCTOR X’s secret Alpine headquarters — but things don’t go as planned, either on the way in… or the way out!
Writing
In previous reviews, the main complaint about this series was for a title called Action Man, there really wasn’t much actually drama to make the action suspenseful. There hadn’t been any major plot points revealed or sudden twists which really left any impact. The third issue changes everything and delivers a punch in the gut no one saw coming. Writer John Barber really increases the pace and provides double the speed and story development of the previous two issues. It makes for a great read and leaves you with a cliffhanger which will truly make the reader count the days until the next issue is released. This review is intended to be as spoiler free as possible, but this much can be said: You won’t see the ending coming from a mile away.
Artwork
The artwork continues to be the perfect style to deliver the kind of effects needed to tell a great action story. Artist Paolo Villanelli delivers great scenes of violence and intrigue throughout the book. The flow of character’s actions and the different explosions are especially noteworthy.
Conclusion
This series finally hits it out of the park and delivers an issue which really makes you want to keep reading. When the book is released as a trade, it seems as if this first story will be the perfect way to introduce new fans to the idea of who Action Man is and what he is about. Now, all they have to do is keep the energy going and this new incarnation of the character will become a must read for fans of James Bond looking for a good spy adventure comic.
A few weeks ago, we got a brief but captivating little teaser for La La Land, the upcoming musical starring Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling, and directed by Whiplash wunderkind Damien Chazelle.
That trailer was charming and beautiful, but the first time around we only got to hear Ryan Gosling belt out some lines. In this second trailer, however, we get to exclusively hear Emma Stone’s pipes as she sings a melancholy tune. Check it out:
Written and directed by Academy Award® nominee Damien Chazelle, LA LA LAND tells the story of Mia [Emma Stone], an aspiring actress, and Sebastian [Ryan Gosling], a dedicated jazz musician, who are struggling to make ends meet in a city known for crushing hopes and breaking hearts. Set in modern day Los Angeles, this original musical about everyday life explores the joy and pain of pursuing your dreams.
So there you have it. La La Land looks like a dreamy, magnificently-shot picture, and should draw in even the faintest of musical fans. Like me.
Set photos from ‘Thor: Ragnarok’ hit the internet every day, and the latest round of photos looks like Odin is the crazy homeless guy on the street corner.
It has been long rumored Odin will be the comic relief of the film, as he will be trying to warn earth of the apocalypse.
What’s your opinion on using Odin as comic relief?
‘Thor: Ragnarok’ stars Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Idris Elba, Cate Blanchett, Jeff Goldblum, Tessa Thompson, Karl Urban, Mark Ruffalo, and Sir Anthony Hopkins. Taika Waititi directs with Kevin Feige producing the film.
‘Thor: Ragnarok’ will destroy the universe on November 3, 2017.
Might the WWE Universe finally be on board and ready to cheer Roman Reigns on?
It’s been a whirlwind ride for Roman Reigns since the day The Shield broke up. Touted as the future, WWE had him on a fast-track to the top. That move was met with constant backlash from the WWE Universe and despite the criticism, it all culminated with Roman Reigns winning the WWE Title from Triple H at WrestleMania 32.
The Roman Empire was set to take off.
And then one mistake by Roman Reigns put those plans on hold.
After losing the title at Money in the Bank, Reigns would go on to serve a 30-day suspension for a violation of the Wellness Policy. His suspension would end in time for him to wrestle at Battleground. He would go on to lose cleanly to WWE Champion Dean Ambrose in the triple threat main event.
Reigns’ fall from the top would continue on the first live episode of Smackdown in the WWE Draft where he slipped to the 2nd round.
Roman Reigns would hit rock bottom the next week on Raw where he would go on to lose a #1 contenders match for the WWE Universal title to Finn Balor.
For the first time since October 2015, Roman Reigns was not in the main-event of a WWE pay-per-view.
And for the first time since his days with The Shield, the WWE Universe might be ready to cheer “The Guy.”
Out of the main-even picture, a program with the United States Champion Rusev is exactly the type of feud that can help build Reigns back up.
You can argue the current relevance and importance of the U.S. Title but with the recent brand split, the championship should have enough on-screen time to push it back to prominence.
Rusev is a good enough heel that fans won’t turn on Reigns and start cheering the Bulgarian Brute.
And while Roman Reigns didn’t capture the title at SummerSlam (match ended in a no-contest), his quest for U.S. gold could be the first step to rebuilding the Roman Empire and the first step to getting the fans to cheer Roman Reigns on.
