Highlander Brew Company hails from South River. And, like their website says, this makes theirs one of the most northern craft breweries in Ontario. Although, Manitoulin Brewing Company and Split Rail Brewing Company are both contenders for that title. Highlander Brew Company has been around since 2009 when they launched their Scottish Ale. But, since I’ve already reviewed a Scottish ale, I decided to try something new. I picked up a couple of 650 mL bottles of Highlander’s Lion Grass Ale at my local LCBO. Here’s what I thought …
Lion Grass Ale – First Sip
Lion Grass Ale pours a transparent gold with a respectable layer of head. I smell lemon as I take my first gulp. I notice lots of grainy flavour upfront that fades to a very subtle aftertaste with notes of citrus and coffee. Lion Grass Ale’s relatively high level of carbonation helps promote its complex flavour by providing a vehicle for hops in this otherwise malty beer.
Lion Grass Ale – Last Sip
There’s a mead-like quality to this beer. Its sweetness is complex rather than overpowering though, so don’t be scared off by the large bottles Lion Grass comes in. Remember, though, that at 5.4% ABV this beer isn’t messing around. At 650 mL, each bottle is over a pint so I recommend sharing this tasty brew with a friend or two.
As usual, I recommend drinking Lion Grass Ale from a pint glass rather than straight from the bottle. Its aroma and great colour deserve to be enjoyed when you drink it. Lion Grass pairs really well with barbecue, especially chicken, but it’s also good alongside a salad. I suggest pairing this brew with something tart tasting. Its relatively sweet flavour contrasts well with, say, a balsamic vinaigrette. That said, it would also go well with a burger. This is one of those catch-all ales that pair well with just about anything.
The finale of The Flash season two featured a huge plot point. Towards the end of the episode, Teddy Sears’ character Zoom had seemingly been turned in to the Black Flash.
As many fans ask whether or not we’ll see the character again, Andrew Kreisberg gave an answer in an interview with Entertainment Weekly.
“Obviously we did that on purpose. We love working with Teddy [Sears]. He’s such an amazing actor and amazing person, and was so much a part of the success of this show last season. There aren’t any immediate plans for that, but you can’t keep a good Black Flash down, so I’m sure we’ll be seeing him in the future.”
Kreisberg didn’t necessarily give a definitive answer, but he alluded to the character popping up in the show’s upcoming season 3.
When do you think we’ll see Black Flash make an appearance in the show? Be sure to let us know in the comments section of this article, down below.
The Flash season 3 premieres on The CW this October 4.
In what might be the next best thing to actually watching Monkeys Fighting Robots, the United States Presidential election of 2016 has no shortage of sensational drama – both politically and to some extent in “reality entertainment”. The unconventional campaign is both intensely serious with significant social consequences, but at the same time a source of shock entertainment for those who follow political campaigns.
The polarizing nature of the candidates and the race have led to social commentary from all fronts, including the artistic community.
Todd McFarlane has Spawn meet Donald Trump
Legendary comic book creator Todd McFarlane snuck a little of his own opinion into a special issue of his most famous character called Spawn Kills Everyone. In it, Spawn makes a visit to San Diego Comic-Con, and after bringing some mayhem to cosplayers, turns his attention to the Red Skull and Donald Trump, beheading the both of them. It certainly appears as if McFarlane intended for the reader to pick up on the juxtaposition of Trump and the Red Skull and make a correlation (wink).
In comments to the New York Daily News, McFarlane acknowledges his distaste for Donald Trump and defends his artwork.
Political satire from famous artists gets a lot of attention
The gruesome depiction of the death of a Presidential candidate from a major United States political party is sure to get noticed, even if it is a parody. Recently, the Republican candidate received major criticism for his offhand comments on “second amendment people” being able to “act” against Hillary Clinton. These remarks prompting serious reactions from the press for days. There were reports that Trump was warned by the Secret Service, but the response by the Trump campaign and follow up by Reuters put that in doubt.
In the 2016 elections, it seems clear that any depictions, comments and imaging of Presidential candidates are sure to draw scrutiny in order to determine the message and intent.
Political satire and parody has a long history in American politics and is considered an acceptable form of political commentary.
It seems that Todd McFarlane just added a couple of new pages to that commentary.
The Tick has returned. One of the new shows of Amazon’s Pilot Season, this new adaptation of the comical, larger than life blue hero may be a new way to introduce new fans to the classic character. But is the show any good?
Set in a world where superheroes are a regular occurrence crime still runs rampant. In a city known as The City, there has been a need for heroes ever since its main hero group was taken out by legendary villain, The Terror. After his defeat, average accountant Arthur continues to investigate with his belief the Terror is still alive. One night while investigating he meets the nigh invulnerable hero, known only as the Tick who believes he hears the call of destiny and he is not one to put her on hold.
The new adaptation is trying to have a similar look to the recent string of live action superhero series from Netflix. In fact if you started the episode at just the right point and didn’t tell them what they were watching, a novice wouldn’t tell the difference been this show and Daredevil. This is the problem which comes from this first episode. It’s a bit too serious at times in an effort to just how much The City needs a hero.
Luckily it has one coming and he is very entertaining. Every moment The Tick is on screen, he steals the spotlight. He is hilarious, brash, and truly channeling the original comic book character. More episodes featuring this character in action would definitely be welcomed.
Is this the greatest adaptation of the Tick? No. Is it still entertaining and probably binge worthy once the full season is release? Yes. What does this mean for those who want to see more? It looks as if Amazon wants people to vote on which of the new series gets a full season. The first episode is free and afterward if you like it, vote for it so once again The Tick can leap through air screaming, “Spoon” for an entire season.
An early version of Rawhide Kid and The Two Gun Kid, The Masked Raider shows readers that the Old West needs Golden Age Marvel heroes too.
Rockman
Rockman operates underground…literally!
The original US Agent, that’s Underground Secret Agent, Rockman rocks. I just wish he’d been able to take care of Mole Man.
Golden Girl
“Professionalism” in the ’50s…
Captain America’s girlfriend and sidekick Betsy Ross was fighting crime before she ever put on an outlandish costume.
The Blonde Phantom
The Blonde Phantom shows that criminals don’t prefer blondes.
A super-heroine in a ballgown. Although not the most practical of outfits, it sure gave The Blonde Phantom staying power among her fellow Golden Age Marvel heroes with nearly 30 appearances.
The Terror
“His name is ‘Laslo Pevely?!‘ Bahahahaha!!”
DNA from an enraged dog and a tip of the hat to Bela Lugosi is all this hero needed to fight crime. And, kudos to The Terror for having the lamest alter-ego, Laslo Pevely. Now, without further ado, I present …
Golden Age Marvel Heroes: B-Listers and Sidekicks #10 – The Blazing Skull (B-Lister)
“Shouting at Hitler? That’s my middle name…”
Making his first appearance in Mystic Comics #5 (cover date March 1941), The Blazing Skull gets representation on this list of Golden Age Marvel heroes chiefly because of the Silver Age character of whom he appears to be the prototype, and because he made Hitler cry.
With a name like “The Blazing Skull” and the mask to match it, True Believers have probably already guessed that he’s a prototypical Ghost Rider. Unlike Ghost Rider, though, The Blazing Skull isn’t possessed by a demon, nor does he ride a sweet motorcycle. More similar to his short-lived Golden Age counterpart The Red Raven, The Blazing Skull learned his powers from a secret society of weirdos.
Unlike other first appearances of Golden Age Marvel heroes, The Blazing Skull’s gives only a hint to his origin. Readers learn that The Blazing Skull’s real name is Mark Todd, and that Todd learned his fantastic powers by hanging out with the “Skull Men” of “the Orient”. As an homage to these Skull Men, Todd wears a burning skull mask. His (fluctuating) powers appear to include super-strength, increased agility, and a resistance to fire (made obvious by the fact that his head doesn’t catch fire when he puts his burning mask on).
The Blazing Skull’s first appearance concerns the secret mission we see him undertake. Stopping a torpedo in the water and jumping on a moving train on his way, Todd travels from “the Orient” to Berlin, behind enemy lines. Once there he meets a man named Powell. Powell sends Todd on a mission to destroy a Nazi nerve-gas plant and kill the scientist responsible for manufacturing the gas. But, after killing the Nazi scientist by blowing up the plant with a grenade, Todd is captured and brought to Nazi headquarters.
Todd’s captors torture him until “Der Leader” (Hitler, unnamed) arrives to question him personally. During their talk, The Blazing Skull yells at Hitler, causing him to burst into tears and rush out of the room! After this emotional display, The Blazing Skull is able to escape thanks to an inept guard. Mark Todd’s second adventure in Mystic Comics #6 (cover date October 1941) shows him saving the life of Prime Minister Winston Churchill. Cheers, Skull Men!
Golden Age Marvel Heroes: B-Listers and Sidekicks #9 – Thin Man (B-Lister)
“It’s a rug! It’s a carpet! No! It’s Thin Man!!”
Another character who’s notable mostly because of his Silver Age counterpart is Klaus Nordling‘s Thin Man. First appearing in Mystic Comics #4 (cover date August 1940), Thin Man’s real name is Bruce Dickson. Dickson, a scientist, is on an American expedition to Mt. Kalpurthia, a (fictional) part of the Himalayas. During the expedition Dickson gets lost in a blizzard and winds up in Kalahia, a lost civilization nestled in a valley near the mountain. The Kalahians operate on an unconscious Dickson with “electronic rays”. When he wakes up, Bruce realizes he has the ability to flatten his body.
If you haven’t figured out yet, Thin Man is a prototype for the Silver Age character Mr. Fantastic. And, for any DC fans reading this article, please note that Thin Man first appeared on the scene a full year before Plastic Man first appeared in Police Comics #1 in August 1941.
After some discussion with the Kalahian elders, Dickson eventually convinces them that he must leave their utopia and fight evil in the outside world. He takes Olalla, the only daughter of the chief Kalahian elder, with him, and the two bust up a taxicab protectionism racket back in the States. This would prove to be Thin Man’s only Golden Age adventure, but he returned in the ’70s, along with several other Golden Age heroes, in Roy Thomas’s WWII-themed Marvel Premiere #29 (cover date April 1976), part of his ret-con run onInvaders, but that’s another story.
Golden Age film buffs may notice some striking similarities between Thin Man’s Kalahian origins and the 1937 Frank Capra epic Lost Horizon. In Lost Horizon, diplomat Robert Conway’s (Ronald Colman) plane crashes in the Himalayas. He and his men are rescued and taken to Shangri-La, a temperate utopia nestled in the high-altitude mountain range.
Golden Age Marvel Heroes: B-Listers and Sidekicks #8 – Hurricane (B-Lister)
“No! I don’t know Thor! Stop asking!”
Hurricane’s first appearance is up for debate. Ret-cons have since amalgamated Hurricane with Mercury, a very similar Golden Age hero, and given him the name “Makkari“. Mercury’s first appearance was in the hard-to-find Red Raven Comics #1 (cover date August 1940) whereas the character named “Hurricane” first appeared in Captain America Comics #1 (cover date March 1941). As with numbers 9 and 10, Hurricane earned a spot on this list of Golden Age Marvel heroes because he was likely an inspiration for a Silver Age one.
With Hurricane’s otherworldly origin, he’s an Olympian god, one might think that the Silver Age hero I’m referring to is Hercules or Thor, especially because Hurricane’s referred to as Thor’s son in Captain America Comics #1. But, Hurricane’s powers set him apart from Hercules or Thor. One of the original speedsters (The Flash debuted in Flash Comics #1in January 1940 just eight months before Red Raven Comics #1), Hurricane is more of a prototype of Quicksilver than he is of Thor, even down to his sometimes flippant personality.
Hurricane’s cousin Pluto, under the assumed name of Paul Sayden, is the boss of a murder gang. Hurricane tracks Pluto to a costume ball and the two face off, Pluto dressed as Satan and Hurricane wearing his usual crime-fighting garb (i.e. winged headband and boots, briefs, and gloves). In the reality-altering conclusion to their duel, Hurricane bests Pluto and sends him back to wherever he came from (presumably Hades). Hurricane eventually takes the name “Michael Gray” and continues his fight against injustice in subsequent Timely comics.
Golden Age Marvel Heroes: B-Listers and Sidekicks #7 – Rathia (Sidekick – The Sub-Mariner)
“That fishwoman is ripped!”
Rathia made her debut in Human Torch Comics #5b (a Golden Age version of renumbering gave Human Torch Comics two #5 issues in order to address the fact that there was no Human Torch Comics #1: Human Torch Comics replaced Red Raven Comics, of which there was only one issue). And, although Rathia is essentially a villain in the epic 60-page story that features her debut, so is The Sub-Mariner who becomes a modern-day Napoleon, trying to take over the world. Rathia spurs the undersea prince on, encouraging him to become the ruthless dictator she desires.
Rathia hails from the Baltic Sea and demands restitution for her injured and dead undersea countrymen, wounded and killed by debris from naval battles above. And, after enticing Namor to attack the warring land dwellers, Rathia also convinces him that his shaky relationship with The Human Torch is not in Namor’s best interests. So, even though The Sub-Mariner and The Human Torch had previously settled their differences, Rathia is able to stir up old hostilities while also providing readers with the impetus for the first-ever multi-title crossover in Marvel’s golden age (more on that next week!).
Golden Age Marvel Heroes: B-Listers and Sidekicks #6 – Jack Frost (B-Lister)
“Yes, I’m THAT Jack Frost!”
Jack Frost is another Golden-Ager who made this list because of his similarity to a Silver Age hero. Although Jack Frost has otherworldly origins (he’s Jack Frost), from a powers perspective he seems like a prototype of the Silver Age Iceman, Bobby Drake. Like the original drawings of Iceman, Jack Frost appears as a well-sculpted snowman who wears a minimal amount of clothing (boots in Iceman’s case, briefs in Jack Frost’s).
Jack Frost first appeared in U.S.A. Comics #1 (cover date August 1941). Also similar to Iceman who debuted in X-Men #1 (cover date September 1963), as the first page of Jack Frost’s debut shows, it’s written by Stan Lee! This story is one of Stan the Teenage Man’s first for Timely Comics. It shows Jack Frost awoken by a dying arctic explorer who seeks justice! The explorer’s name is Forbes. He is dying of a gunshot wound, courtesy of one Mike Zelby. Forbes begs Jack Frost to protect his daughter Alice. He fears Zelby will target her next.
Jack Frost does Forbes one better. Frost saves Alice’s life and allows Zelby to burn to death in a fire Zelby himself starts. Alice pleads with Jack Frost to save Zelby from the fire, but the literally coldhearted hero refuses, saying Zelby must pay for his crimes. The police come to arrest Jack Frost for Zelby’s murder, but the Golden Age Iceman vanishes. He swears that if he can’t work with the police then he’ll work against them. You know, I think there’s a Sonny Curtis song about that.
Golden Age Marvel Heroes: B-Listers and Sidekicks #5 – The Patriot (B-Lister)
“I AM as good as Steve Rogers. I AM as good as Steve Rogers…”
The Patriot made this list of because of his staying power and because of his ret-conned title as the longest serving Golden Age Captain America. The Patriot is Jeff Mace, a reporter with a desire to do good. His first published exploit from Human Torch Comics #4 (cover date Spring 1941), a text-only story, has him averting a fifth column plot to kill a number of government officials in a plane crash on their way to ease tensions at a striking munitions plant. This story, described in the text as occurring “about a year ago,” is told from Mace’s perspective as if he’s recounting his first adventure as The Patriot to the reader. But, if his first exploit as The Patriot occurred in the spring of 1940 then his character biography as a crime-fighter goes back further than Captain America’s, who only appeared on the scene in 1941.
The Patriot’s first four-colour feature story also debuted in Human Torch Comics #4 as that issue’s final story. It shows Jeff take on a group of (surprise!) fifth columnists who call themselves “The Yellowshirts”. The Yellowshirts seek to rob America of its civil liberties. The Yellowshirts take control of a news outlet in order to distribute their propaganda. The Patriot fights his way to the big man, and after subduing the boss of The Yellowshirts The Patriot is the hero of the hour.
In terms of his ret-conned title as the as the longest-serving Golden Age Captain America, most Marvelites will remember that the 1964 ret-con in Avengers #4 revealed that Steve Rogers and the original Bucky disappeared in 1945 shortly before WWII ended. According to a subsequent ret-con (Roy Thomas’s What If? #4, cover date August 1977), shortly thereafter at the behest of President Truman a new Captain America and Bucky took over for the MIA star-spangled duo.
The role of Bucky was taken on by Fred Davis Jr., a New York Yankees bat-boy who had already masqueraded as Bucky in Roy Thomas’s ret-con Marvel Premiere #30 (cover date June 1976). The role of Captain America was taken on by William Nasland, AKA The Spirit of ’76 who first appeared in another Roy Thomas ret-con Invaders #14 (cover date March 1977). Nasland is killed in action in 1946 as part ofWhat If? #4, and Jeff Mace replaces him as Cap.
Subsequent ret-cons have Jeff Mace serving as Captain America until 1952 when he hangs up the red, white, and blue outfit. So, Jeff Mace has six years as the Golden Age Captain America compared to Steve Rogers’s four and William Nasland’s one. Ain’t ret-cons grand (and confusing)?
Golden Age Marvel Heroes: B-Listers and Sidekicks #4 – The Destroyer (B-Lister)
“Quit making fun of my pants!!”
Like his contemporary Jack Frost, a teenage Stan lee created the Destroyer. I include the him on this list because of his unique garb and courage. The Destroyer made his first appearance in Mystic Comics #6.
The Destroyer is Keen Marlow, although later ret-cons changed his name to Kevin. Similar to Jeff Mace, Keen Marlow is an American reporter. But, unlike Mace who generally deals with domestic rather than foreign disputes, Marlow works behind enemy lines. His editor demands the real story on what’s happening in Germany.
Marlow truly goes above and beyond in his effort to write a good story for his editor. He breaks into a Nazi prison, gets captured and interrogated by Nazi soldiers, beats the crap out of them, and eventually gets re-captured. Meanwhile in another part of the prison, Professor Schmitt, world-famous biochemist, refuses to give up his super soldier serum. Schmitt is thrown into the same cell as Marlow, and, after explaining what it is, proffers his serum to Marlow.
The professor dies as a result of his mistreatment at the hands of the Nazi guards, but Marlow is invigorated by Schmitt’s formula. After swearing an oath to fight Nazism, Marlow breaks out of the Nazi prison, frees its prisoners, and locks up the Nazi guards. Like many Marvel superheroes, he then goes home to design a gaudy costume.
The next time he goes out, Marlow goes out as The Destroyer. The Destroyer first saves a young woman from being bullied by some storm-troopers. And, after being captured again, he destroys a Nazi lieutenant’s home. The Destroyer’s next adventure, published immediately after his first story in Mystic Comics #6, shows him facing off against his longtime nemesis The Scar.
Golden Age Marvel Heroes: B-Listers and Sidekicks #3 – Miss America (B-Lister)
“Has anyone seen my glasses?”
No, she’s not Captain America’s sister, daughter, cousin, or aunt. Making her debut a little late in Marvel Mystery Comics #49 (cover date November 1943), Miss America is Madeline Joyce. She is the niece and adopted daughter of millionaire James Bennett. Bennett funded the experiment that, unbeknownst to him, gave Madeline her powers. Although she wasn’t the first heroine to grace the pages of Timely Comics, she was likely Timely’s most popular one. Another contender for that title is Golden Girl, Betsy Ross. But, since Golden Girl was a sidekick and Miss America had her own title, I say the two are in different leagues.
When compared to the Timely heroines who had their own titles, Madeline Joyce has staying power. Female crime-fighters contemporary with Miss America didn’t stick around too long after their debuts. The original Black Widow only got five golden-age stories, The Silver Scorpion appears to have only gotten three, and Zara of the Jungle only got two. Miss America, on the other hand, appears to have made more than thirty Golden Age appearances in her own stories! The Blonde Phantom is the only Timely heroine who comes close, just shy of thirty golden-age appearances.
In her time, Miss America was a Nazi fighter par excellence. In fact, her final story in Marvel Mystery Comics #85 (cover date February 1948) shows her fighting Nazis and collaborators long after the hostilities of WWII had ended. So, for standing up to fifth columnists, Axis forces, and a skeptical buying public who didn’t seem to care about super-heroines, Miss America has more than earned her place on this list.
Golden Age Marvel Heroes: B-Listers and Sidekicks #2 – Toro (Sidekick – The Original Human Torch)
“Hi, I’m Toro, ongoing liability to the Human Torch, Captain America, and basically any other superhero I come into contact with.”
Making his first appearance in Human Torch Comics #2(cover date Fall 1940), Toro debuted six months before Bucky. Toro, Thomas Raymond, made this list because of the lasting impression he made on what would become Marvel Comics.
It’s true that in many ways Toro is a knockoff character. His powers are a rehash of the Human Torch’s. His introduction as a boy sidekick is an obvious knockoff of the introduction of the original Robin, Dick Grayson. Robin made his first appearance just a few months previous to Toro’s, in April 1940.
Toro, like many of the names on this list, seems to be a prototype for a Silver Age hero. I’m talking about the other Human Torch, Johnny Storm. I can hear you already. “Wouldn’t the Silver Age Human Torch have more in common with the Golden Age Human Torch than Toro?” The answer, not really. The original Human Torch is a man (or android) of action like Johnny. But, unlike his Silver Age counterpart, he’s basically a loner who desires justice. Toro, like Storm, is a kid who has a lot of fun while turning the heat up on crime.
Toro also makes this list because he’s a selfless kid who routinely risks everything to save the day. I won’t say much about his Silver, Bronze, and Modern Age exploits. Let’s just say that they involve a lot of self-sacrifice. Instead, let’s talk about his first appearance.
The Human Torch AKA Jim Hammond, while flying over a circus one day, sees a boy on fire. Hammond touches down to see if he can help. And, he finds the boy, Toro, unharmed by his own fiery performance. The Human Torch realizes that his proximity to Toro must somehow have set off his latent abilities. They realize that Toro can mentally control his flame, and the Torch offers to train him.
Toro tells the Torch he’s always been fireproof, even when attempting to rescue his dying parents from a train derailment. And, though he came from tragedy, The Human Torch assures Toro his future is bright.
Toro quickly becomes the star attraction of “Pop’s Circus”. Unfortunately, Samson the circus strongman doesn’t like this turn of events. Samson gets a hold of an experimental “Rayon Gun” and uses it to nullify The Human Torch’s powers. Samson gets in a few good hits on the Torch. But, once his powers return the Torch and Toro burn off Samson’s mustache, and convince him to give himself up.
Two of Samson’s accomplices seem like they’ll get away. So, Toro and The Human Torch murder them by flying them into the air and then letting them fall! Toro, showing he’s got the sociopathic personality of a true Golden Age hero, says, “Nasty spill! But they deserved it!” By routing out the mobsters, Toro and the Torch save Pop’s Circus. Their next adventure in Human Torch Comics #3 doesn’t go as well. Although they eventually manage to bust up a spy ring, the Torch actually spanks Toro, calling him a “spoiled pup”!
Golden Age Marvel Heroes: B-Listers and Sidekicks #1 – Bucky (Sidekick – Captain America)
“Here’s something I picked up from the cover of Captain America Comics #1!”
Was there a doubt that Captain America’s sidekick Bucky Barnes would take the #1 spot on this list? If you want to read about Bucky’s origin, check this article. Here I’ll talk about why Bucky deserves to be number one.
Although Toro debuted a few months before him, Bucky developed more of a fan-base than his fiery rival. This is best shown by the fact that there have been three MCU movies (Captain America: The First Avenger, Captain America: Winter Soldier, and Captain America: Civil War) that feature Bucky and none that even mention Toro. As sidekicks go, Toro was independent and mouthy. Golden Age Bucky, though, was a true sidekick to Captain America. He even dressed up in a “Little Lord Fauntleroy” outfit at Cap’s order on one occasion. Plus, Toro is basically invulnerable when he has his flame on. Bucky, though, is susceptible to bullets, gas, drowning, and explosions no matter how hot he gets.
“Come on, Buck! Try to look even stupider!”
In his first exploit as Cap’s sidekick, Bucky grabs a bomb from an attacker and throws it outside. The ensuing blast sends an unhurt Bucky flying across the room. And, though this may seem like a small act in the world of comics, the bomb if allowed to detonate inside would probably have injured Cap and killed Betsy Ross. So, Bucky gets big points for saving his boss and his boss’s girlfriend his first time out.
Ben Affleck is a busy bee. He already played the Dark Knight in both Zack Snyder’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and David Ayer’s Suicide Squad earlier this year, and the Oscar winner also has The Accountant this fall and his next directing vehicle, Live By Night, released right in the thick of awards season. But in addition to returning to the cowl for the currently-filming Justice League (and reportedly working on his own solo Batman film), Affleck added another project to his plate: he’ll direct Agatha Christie’s Witness For the Prosecution, which will become his fifth film, depending on when that solo Batman film comes together.
Deadline got the news, and there’s an interesting twist this time around. While Warner Bros. released every Affleck-directed project since 2010’s The Town (Mirmax released his debut, 2007’s Gone, Baby, Gone), Witness For the Prosecution will instead be distributed under 20th Century Fox. In addition to directing, Affleck will also produce alongside Jennifer Todd and Matt Damon. He’s also planning to star in the adaptation in a currently-undisclosed part. It’s likely, however, he’ll fill the same role Charles Laughton played in the 1957 Billy Wilder film, a lawyer who represents a man accused of murdering a wealthy widow who left him her estate.
The plot then follows the suspect’s wife, who is called as a witness to the stand because she was married to another man when she wedded the defendant. From there, there are twists and there are turns. Such is the case with Christie. Affleck has some pretty big shoes to fill, as the original film got six Oscar nominations, including Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Actress and Best Director. But Affleck is also the man behind Argo, so he shouldn’t be too concerned about his award chances. (Side note: Live By Night has some pretty serious, if somewhat premature, Oscar buzz).
Affleck’s Witness For the Prosecution will be written by Christopher Keyser, best known as the creator behind Party of Five. Details will likely stay slim until Affleck finishes his current superhero commitments, as well as press rounds for The Accountant and Live By Night. Even then, however, it’s unclear when he’ll get around to this one. There’s no release date set, and Fox will likely have to wait until Affleck’s done with his Batman film, which he is currently writing beside Geoff Johns. But he’s stacking his deck at least, and it’s encouraging to see Affleck fit time for work outside of explosive blockbusters.
I Had The Pleasure Of Compiling My Top 10 Favorite Films Since 2006
Looking back at the past 10 years in film, we’ve seen the epic rise of superhero films and countless remakes. During that time, I’ve had built an obscure taste in cinema. I’ve loved the dark, the shocking, and the grotesque all my life so creating a top 10 from the last 10 was quite interesting. In a time it seems like Hollywood has a strong grip on the norm, some projects that have stood out to me as the wild bunch.
Below are my top 10 movies since 2006:
10. We Need To Talk About Kevin (2011)
-Something about this film just terrified me. For years, I’ve always said that kids aren’t for me. What if something happens or worse…what if they don’t love me? That’s what this film does so well. It takes all those parenting fears and puts them on full display. What happens when your kid is pure evil? Also, lead actress Tilda Swinton is one of my favorite ever. What a performance from her here.
9. Godzilla (2014)
-Many know that I adore the Godzilla franchise. From the original in 1954 to this reboot, I can’t get enough of the giant green monster. What director Gareth Edwards did with such an iconic creature was outstanding and moments like the H.A.L.O. jump scene are pure cinematic genius. Can’t wait to the upcoming 2019 sequel and eventual clash with King Kong! Never has the beast looked so beautiful.
8. Black Swan (2010)
-Almost put another Darren Aronofsky film titled ‘The Wrester‘ in place of this top 10 pick but something about the darkness in ‘Black Swan‘ stuns me. Natalie Portman’s Nina in this film just wants to be perfect. Plain and simple, her strive for perfection drives her insane. ‘Black Swan‘ really depicts the darkest side of being passionate.
7. Watchmen (2009)
-Up until this year’s ‘Batman v Superman‘, this was my favorite comic book movie. While I know it’s a poor adaptation of the beloved graphic novel, I love what Zack Snyder did for this piece. Alan Moore’s work is impossible to re-create so Snyder took his personal influence from the piece and morphed it into a true superhero film epic. The visuals are good, the themes are bold, and I love stylistic directors.
6. I Saw The Devil (2010)
-South Korean director Kim Jee-woon is a blessing to cinema. Some of his early movies are great but this 2010 action-filled psychological horror is his best work. ‘I Saw The Devil‘ shocks and thrills like no other horror film I can think of. Also, love the theme of showing someone doing very bad things for their own moral vengeance. That was shown with great acting from both Lee Byung-hun & Choi Min-sik.
5. Antichrist (2009)
-‘Antichrist‘ director Lars Von Trier is probably one of the most polarizing directors ever. His films test your limits and his antics are wild but when he gets it right, it’s beauty. This film is beautiful but so damn dark. The start of his Depression Trilogy kicks off with this horrifying look at marriage, love, and sanity. Lead actor Willem Dafoe is great but actress Charlotte Gainsbourg is a powerhouse.
4. Evil Dead (2013)
-Could this be the best remake ever? I would go on record saying it is! Not only does it match the tone of the original piece but amps the horror up even more. You thought ‘The Evil Dead’ from 1981 was gory, wait till you see this bloody mess. Director Fede Alvarez worked well in Sam Rami’s original universe but crafts together something that sky-rocketed him to the top of horror lovers list.
3. Spring Breakers (2012)
–Harmony Korine is another polarizing director on my top 10 list. Films like ‘Gummo‘ and ‘Trash Humpers‘ really challenge viewers. Then came ‘Spring Breakers‘; the art film that people marketed to the YOLO generation. With the Florida setting and the trashy people, this felt close to home. Nothing encapsulates and exploits my generation more than this film. Also, there is some breathtaking cinematography!
2. Martyrs (2008):
-No other horror film has moved me like this. ‘Martyrs‘ is truly an exercise in nihilism. When someone asks me my favorite movie, ‘Jaws‘ would come to mind. But when this film came out, I started to think before responding. A French import during a time when France was making the most extreme horror movies, ‘Martyrs‘ is honestly a masterclass in filmmaking. Each frame has a purpose & the message is too deep.
1. Nymphomaniac Vol. 1 and Vol 2. (2014)
-The second Lars Von Trier on this top 10 list is by far one of the best pieces of cinema I’ve ever witnessed. Never has something spoke to me as a filmmaker and movie lover than the jaw-dropping Director’s Cut of ‘Nymphomaniac‘. Charlotte Gainsbourg again stars but playing the younger version of her character is Stacy Martin in a stellar showing. I can’t wait to see what movie can top this for me.
Thank you so much for checking out my list! Do any of your favorites make the list?
Let me know some of your favorite movies since 2006 in the comments below!
Once again it’s time for Rifftrax! The trio of Michael J. Nelson, Kevin Murphy, and Bill Corbett came together with the goal of ridiculing a movie for all of the absurdity it presents. Deciding to take a look deeper into film history they went back and mocked the first appear of an icon of Japanese cinema in its self titled movie, Mothra from 1961. They also brought along an educational short which once again asks if the creators were trying to actually teach children something or traumatize them into being obedient.
Soapy, The Germ Fighter
It’s another one of those inanimate objects coming to life shorts to tell humanity what they are doing wrong in their lives. This time it’s a bar of soap called Soapy, who tells a young boy named Billy (because kids in educational shorts are always named Billy), the importance of making sure to wash himself. The fact he’s appearing in a child’s bedroom in the middle of the night is just a sample of the hilarity which comes from this short. The short alone easily justifies the price of the ticket.
Mothra
After a boat capsizes near an island where nuclear tests were done, the crew is rescued and found to be somehow unaffected by radiation poisoning. A team investigating the island, but they find something much more valuable, tiny twin girls the size of dolls. A scheming capitalist decides to steal the two and bring them back to civilization, unaware they have a connection with a giant monster moth called Mothra who will stop at nothing to get the pair back.
There were two big aspects of the plot which really helped with the comedy. First, was the fact Mothra takes a long time to show up in its own movie. This leads to such amusing lines as “When you think of a film called Mothra, you of course think of press meetings in airport conference rooms.” The second is the greedy villain who kidnaps the fairy girls just so happens to be named Nelson. Murphy and Corbett didn’t waste an opportunity to make jokes at the expense of their companion.
The only real downside of this film is the dubbing which was used for the film. Though not the fault of the Rifftrax crew as it was the dub which came from the films original 1962 release. It still contains audio which reflects early 60s mentality about people from asian, complete with forced accidents and even a crass “Ha So” joke thrown into the mix. Some may need to take this into consideration before enjoying the film but the team makes sure to never to stoop to this caliber of humor and even go as far as to point out how the line itself was going too far. As always the team tries to be a better class of comedians and succeed very well in this case.
This is definitely one of the better shows the team has been put on. It was more entertaining than their attempt to revisit Time Chasers and should be checked out for not only fans of Rifftrax and Mystery Science Theater 3000 but anyone who enjoys a night of wonderful comedy.
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The show was presented through Fathom Events. An encore presentation of Rifftrax: Mothra will air on Tuesday, August 23rd.
Title: Kubo and the Two Strings Director: Travis Knight Summary: A young boy named Kubo must locate a magical suit of armor worn by his late father in order to defeat a vengeful spirit from the past.
There are some studios where you can walk into the movie and feel fairly safe that you’re going to leave at least entertained. Pixar is one that comes to mind with even their bad movies considered good. Pixar is a studio that flourished because it presented animated movies from a point of view that the genre hadn’t been focusing on. Marvel hasn’t put out a bad movie yet because of a deep understanding of not only the source material but what has made it so enduring. Laika have made three movies, Coraline, ParaNorman and The Boxtrolls, and all three have been fantastic. I had a feeling Kubo and the Two Strings was at least going to be good.
Kubo and the Two Strings is a brilliant movie that will end up toward the top of many ‘best of’ lists at the end of the year.
I’m a huge fan of world building. There is nothing better to me than getting lost in a meticulously crafted world but there is a downside to that sort of storytelling; the world can get lost to the story. This story is so well crafted that it overshadows the worldbuilding. That’s one of the reasons why a very simple story like the one in Kubo and the Two Strings exist. It’s one of the oldest stories in the book; a kid needs to go on a quest to find three items that will help him defeat the bad guy. This is the Zelda movie that Nintendo fans have been clamoring for since the mid 90’s.
The basic story means that everyone involved can focus on memorable locations and characters. Monkey (Charlize Theron) and Beatle (Matthew McConaughey) might not be the most unique characters to adventure fiction, and the twist about them most of the adults can see coming a mile away, but I was so lost in these characters that it didn’t bother me at all. Theron and McConaughey, along with Game of Thrones alumni Art Parkinson, with support by Rooney Mara and Ralph Fiennes as our villains, round out a truly fantastic voice cast. Mara and Takei make these two obviously animated characters very creepy and genuinely scary.
If I have any gripes they are minor compared to the production as a whole. As I said I believe the formulaic story is intentional but I can see some people finding it irritating. There was also the worry that a Western studio drawing from Eastern mythology wouldn’t work, but Laika does a great job of remaining respectful to the source material it draws from. The animation itself it worth looking at and it’s a movie where the 3D enhanced the experience since the movie isn’t hiding the fact that these are claymation figures.
Kubo and the Two Strings proves that Laika is a studio that we can rely on and I’m looking forward to whatever movie they decide to do next. This is not only one of the best movies of the summer but it will end up toward the top of my ‘top 10 of the year’. Do not miss out on this one.
Title: War Dogs Director: Todd Phillips Summary: Based on the true story of two young men, David Packouz and Efraim Diveroli, who won a $300 million contract from the Pentagon to arm America’s allies in Afghanistan.
There are two genres that I believe are not only hard to pull off but are often misunderstood. The first is camp and the second is satire. A genre that is even harder to pull off is satire but not as full blown comedy. I saw War Dogs and I was worried right away because it seemed like it was trying to do satire while also having mainstream comedic appeal and I’m just not sure those two things go together very well. While I have enjoyed Jonah Hill in the past I didn’t like director Todd Phillip’s previous movies or Miles Teller very much.
War Dogs aims for satire but is instead unfunny and inconsistent.
As someone who is a fan of dark comedy and satire I could see what War Dogs was going for. The poster was an obvious riff on Scarface and the entire situation is so over the top that it has to be true. There is a lot of comedy to be found in the audacity of real life but War Dogs wants to take that a step further. There isn’t much mainstream appeal in satire or dark comedy so the film tries to do too much.
Todd Phillips has previously done all three of the The Hangover movies which has a certain level of comedy that appealed to a certain demographic. War Dogs wants to bring in those people and the people that love satire but those two are hard to mesh together. Instead the juxtaposition doesn’t work. Whenever the movie would switch back to a more traditional comedy it felt out of place and when it tried to be darker it also felt out of place. It made for a film that feels very inconsistent, almost schizophrenic, in tone.
The movie isn’t completely bad. The performance that Jonah Hill gives is pretty spectacular as his character literally conforms to the people he is trying to extort. It means that he drastically changes from scene to scene but it never feels overly forced. It’s the subtle changes that a person who is truly good at manipulation would use. However, his performance wasn’t enough to save the movie for me. Miles Teller does not have the best comedic timing, and while the brief appearance of Bradley Cooper was pretty good he doesn’t stay long enough to make any sort of impact on the film overall.
War Dogs is one of those frustrating movies to review because while I overall didn’t like it I also didn’t like it so much that I left angry. It’s a film that I saw and immediately forgot. I couldn’t remember much of this movie not long after seeing it and I fear audiences will forget about it within a month.
