Review: ‘Berserk’: Episode 5: The Suffering Of Survivors

By

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July 29, 2016

Tower of Conviction

Guts picks up a straggler this episode in the form of Isidoro, the boy from the first episode. Considering he’s in the opening to the show it can be safe to say he’s going to be sticking around for a while. Other than dispatching of a few demons and some highly trained assassins known as the Kushan, Guts doesn’t really have much screen time this episode.

Instead the focus goes to the group of refugees Casca has been picked up by. The scenes of poverty to illuminate the suffering of the people are on full display. The brutality and corruption of the church is right out in the open as well complete with scenes of corpses in cages, skeletons still tied to the stakes they were burned at, and even a convenient torture room. There is a pretty good chance this isn’t the kind of church which plays Bingo on Wednesday mornings.

Luckily, Caska, who has been bandaged up to cover her looks, is being taken care of by a prostitute named Luca. Luca is a very intriguing character as although society would shun her for what she does, she is actually showing more compassion than those in authority. Hopefully she is going to be able to make it out of this alive or at least without getting taken to the torture room.

This episode is light on action but has a lot of good drama and world building to it. The setting is there so when Guts does arrive he is able to make short work of these wolves in saint’s clothing as he works to get Caska back. He just needs to get there fast because things can go from normal to crazy at the drop of the hat in an instant in this series.

Berserk is streaming on Crunchyroll.

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Review: ‘Jason Bourne’ The Most Disappointing Film Of The Summer

By

Dewey Singleton - Film Critic

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July 29, 2016

Jason Bourne is one of the summer’s most anticipated releases. It’s an action film in name only, a subdued two-hour film that’s tedious and seems more concerned with making a political statement than entertaining an audience. Bourne appears to be going through more of a pseudo mid-life crisis than being entrenched in any espionage rich narrative.

Bourne has been making a concerted effort to stay off the grid for the last ten years and has found his way into the world of bare-knuckle boxing. His old partner in crime, Nicky Parsons (Julia Stiles), is in Iceland working at a hacker camp and manages to get into the CIA database, downloading old black-ops files. While looking through those files, she uncovers that Jason’s dad may have been the mastermind behind the Tredstone program. Seriously.

She somehow knows where Bourne is and gets word to him that they need to meet. Unbeknownst to them, the CIA had tracked Parsons and planned to apprehend her. In the course of the operation to arrest her, they quickly realize that Bourne is nearby. The CIA Director Robert Dewey (Tommy Lee Jones) suddenly makes the call that now Bourne is the target. A chase ensues through the streets of the capital of Greece.

At this point, the audience is pumped because now we are all expecting Bourne to seek vengeance. Instead, what we are left with is ninety minutes of a meandering plot line that ranges from him soul searching (finding who the “real” Jason Bourne is… you know… inside) to fretting over who killed his daddy. What? Are you serious? This isn’t the Jason Bourne that we are used to seeing. Bourne’s purpose in life is to get to the bottom of the problem and do so by any means necessary. In this film, we see him walking away, reflecting on the past, and fretting about his next move.

Paul Greengrass and Christopher Rouse have crafted a narrative that seems hell-bent on making a political statement, plot be damned. There’s a tiny sub-plot that they keep going back to again and again, centering on the CIA/NSA spying on our citizens, with the help of some social-media platform. While no one will deny that the sub-plot is certainly topical, it shouldn’t have been a major focus of this film. Jason Bourne already had so many other sub-plots meandering at the same time, the CIA/NSA sub-plot is forgettable when, in fact, it should have been what saved this film. Imagine if Bourne was out to shut down the CIA/NSA surveillance system.

Fans of Bourne will feel the action at least makes the film watchable. Well, even the action lacks a certain amount of authenticity to it and comes off as more rote than anything. In the first three films, it was if Jason Bourne had a fire in him that drove to kick ass and take names. In this movie, he’s listless and just does what he has to do to walk away from the situation.

Sometimes we should leave certain movies in the past. The previous three Damon Bourne films were textbook examples of what a good action film is supposed to be. Alas, we’re left with the bad taste of Jason Bourne in our mind, the summers most disappointing film.

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‘Jason Bourne’ Review: The Bourne Continuum

By

Will Ashton

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July 28, 2016

When The Bourne Legacy came out in 2012, audiences and critics were quick to dismiss the Jeremy Renner-lead spin-off for the egregious lack of its titular character, Jason Bourne (Matt Damon), and the dubious means in which it connected, however loosely, to the series. These complaints were warranted, to be fair. While I enjoyed Tony Gilroy’s film more than most, it was ultimately a bit of a cash-grab, and it lacked the intensity, ruggedness and gritty craftsmanship that made the original three films — the first, 2002’s The Bourne Identity, directed by Doug Liman, the other two, 2004’s The Bourne Legacy and 2007’s The Bourne Ultimatum, directed by Paul Greengrass — such a global phenomenon, particularly in a post-9/11 world. But if they had known what was in store in Jason Bourne, Damon and Greengrass’ unexpected return to the property, maybe they would have been kinder.

The fourth film in the series, the first to feature the lead character in nine years, isn’t necessarily bad. Greengrass is among the most distinct and intelligent filmmakers working today, and even his weakest efforts, like 2010’s Green Zone, bare his signature touch. Jason Bourne is no exception. But with expectations high and the country at more unrest than seemingly ever before, the results are unexpectedly stagnant and formulaic this time around, in ways the franchise has never been before — even under The Bourne Legacy‘s watch.

It lacks the same drive and pulp that made the past three installments so electrifying, exciting and terrifically entertaining to watch, providing a disappointingly sleepy return. Damon and Greengrass really needed to bring the lightning, especially after so much time spent away from the franchise. Instead, they merely bring the occasional burst of thunder, in a film that rumbles instead of shakes — even when the camera suggests otherwise. But I’ll get to that more in-depth in a moment.

After living in seclusion for years, Jason Bourne is back, and the government isn’t happy. Called into action by his former partner, Nicky Parsons (Julia Stiles), Jason finds himself running towards answers regarding his past, particularly relating to his dead father, which CIA Director Robert Dewey (Tommy Lee Jones) doesn’t want Bourne to discover. Assisted by Heather Lee (Alicia Vikander), a rookie tech wiz, and Asset (Vincent Cassel), an ace shooter with a bone to pick, they track and corner the trained agent around the globe.

And while he’s not getting any younger, Bourne finds himself no match to drones, lethal snippers and cell phone trackers. Though he might be more vulnerable to resistance, his thirst for the truth can never be quenched, even if Lee thinks the CIA can use Bourne’s fragile existence to their advantage. Bourne isn’t afraid to stand up for himself, but as things get more comprised, he’ll realize that his own well-being isn’t the only one on the line. When tech billionaire Aaron Kallor (Riz Ahmed) threatens to upset Dewey’s plans towards infringing national privacy, Bourne will need to protect the identity safety of the free world, in addition to searching almost endlessly for his own true self.

Damon and Greengrass felt it was important to give Bourne a timely purpose to return, and while Bourne’s relevance in a social media age post-Snowden is interesting, it’s ultimately left mostly unexplored in the service of punching, kicking, smashing, dashing and general action beats, which grow more tiresome over the course of this 123 minute sequel. With the exception of one truly extraordinary Vegas-based car crash, leading to one of the most impressive practical stunts seen on-screen in years, the action feels like a retread of what we’ve already seen before, notably from Greengrass’ trilogy capper. It’s no longer fresh or exhilarating, and it expects us to be thrilled by the same camera tricks and physical feats that we’ve already seen before. But that’s not the only thing that rehashed.

Jason Bourne essentially plays as a soft reboot of The Bourne Supremacy, to the point where it recreates a key spoilery moment from that specific installment (which, apparently, was leaked in the newest trailer). It suggests that this fourth film is the start of a new trilogy, but with the last few films not far in our own memories, and without anything truly interesting or unique to derive from the series, it just feels cheap and lazy. While Damon is never less than committed to the character, both physically and professionally, the general vibe of this new film is unenthused and sluggish. Greengrass is too talented and prideful a filmmaker to make something completely half-assed, to be sure, but the plotting is less defined, the writing isn’t as sharp and it lacks a firm, beating heart this time around. Despite what The Bourne Legacy‘s biggest detractors might say, Jason Bourne feels like the most soulless Bourne film to date.

I’ve never been a big shaky cam fan, but the way it was used in Supremacy and Ultimatum felt purposeful and engaging. It brought an intensity and intimacy that wasn’t found in other films prior. But here, it just feels uninspired and dodgy. While it’s stylistically in-sync with the other films, it now comes across sloppy and undefined, especially as other, lamer action films have tried (and often failed) to mimic the style, ad nauseam, throughout the past decade. Which is ultimately kinda indicative of this third sequel as a whole.

Jason Bourne is not without merit. The cast does a noble job on the whole, although Ahmed is perhaps the biggest standout. The Nightcrawler actor continues to prove himself on HBO’s The Night Of and, while he’s given only a limited amount of screen time, he continues to astound. Additionally, the grounded scenery is lived-in and appropriately gritty, in ways only Greengrass and Michael Mann’s films have been for productions of this scale. And the editing, from co-writer Christopher Rouse, is fast and hard-hitting, as it has always been in this series. But in a summer filled with disappointments, this one is particularly discouraging — particularly since it has no real right to be as mediocre as it ends up. Jason Bourne has finally returned, yes, but he makes an unremarkable comeback. I think some people owe a formal apology to The Bourne Legacy.

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Retro Review: ‘Planet Of The Apes’: More Than An Ending

By

Anthony Wendel

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July 28, 2016

SPOILER ALERT

Planet of the Apes is hailed as one of the greatest science fiction movies of all time. It has been referenced in modern culture on countless occasions and parodied to the point everyone knows the brief musical number from The Simpsons (“Dr. Zaius, Dr. Zaius”). A sound clip of it is featured as part of the opening for the Monkeys Fighting Robots podcast. The real question is, does it deserve all the attention?

The answer to this is yes it does but not in the way most people think. When others think of this film they usually associate it with the infamous ending. This film is more than simply one of the best twist endings in cinema. It is a deep look at society and culture which holds up even today.

Writing

The story follows a team of astronauts on an experimental flight. They are awoken from their hibernation to find they have flown off course and arrived on a distant planet. As they start to explore the crew finds the planet is a nightmare, one where apes are in control and man is the lower species. The Captain of the exploration, Taylor (Charlton Heston) must find a way to stay alive amongst this new race which views him as being inferior or some as some kind of mutant.

Though the film is remembered more for the ending, there are a lot of great themes which are explored in the movie which help to make it such essential viewing. Concepts such as a stranger in strange land and being unable to understand what modern society is talking about. How those in power can sometimes not have the best interest of the individual in mind and will do what they can to maintain status quo. How even when presented with cold hard facts, some will cling to what they know instead of trying to embrace change. All of these themes and ideas can be related to life today and this film was made more than 40 years ago.

Directing

Director Franklin J. Schaffner (Patton) really had something in mind when he made this film. From the landscape which was used to where the film ends up, everything seems perfectly set up and detailed. It really makes it feel like he had the entire project under tight control.

The plot and direction really makes it feel like an alien world. Except for a hint here and there, Schaffer, really did fantastic job of masking the idea it was Earth the entire time. There was enough fake clues spread throughout the film which could make someone think the movie was indeed taking place on another planet and the crew had been knocked off course on their way home. Unfortunately, everyone knows the big reveal at the end of the movie but if someone has never seen the film and if they never seen any parodies of it, then the film does have a great deal of shock potential in it.

Music

The orchestral music in the film is well paced and poignant. When the setting requires the music to be chilling it is. When it needs to be a driving force for the action it delivers. There are a few moments which are more silent than they need to be which do feel like they could benefit from a bit more accompaniment but these moments are few and far between. Overall, it’s a memorial score which fans of orchestral soundtracks should probably make sure is in there collections.

Acting

The acting in this film is top notch but Charlton Heston steals the show as Taylor. He comes off as a mixture of desperate and frustrated which really makes the viewer feel sympathy for his situation. Yet at the same time there are moments where he keeps a cool head and finds ways to figure out what needs to be done next. It’s the type of performance which makes him a character so memorable to the fans.

Another standout performance in the movie comes from Maurice Evans as Dr. Zaius. He delivers the perfect mix of unsympathetic and egotistical which makes it seem like he truly has no regard for Taylor and his actions. Dr. Zaius looks at him as simply a human who has managed to learn a new trick and he will not allow such a creature to destroy all he controls.

Production

The production work which went into this film is amazing. It needs to be pointed out this was all accomplished without CGI. Instead, the entire look and feel of the film was accomplished through the use of the make-up and by employing creative locations for shooting. This was all which was needed to make it seem like an alien planet.

The makeup and other prosthetics were accomplished by John Chambers. This name may ring a bell to any who have seen the movie Argo where he was featured. He was played in the film by John Goodman and showed on top of doing great effects he also was willing to go the extra mile for others when needed. He received an Oscar for the effects he achieved in this film and he deserved it.

The film is a must see for fans of Science Fiction, intense acting, and great effects. If you haven’t taken the time to check out this classic film you are truly missing out.

Planet of the Apes was presented by Fathom Events, through a showing of the TCM Big Screen Classics. The event featured a special interview with Dr. Zaius himself.

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Golden Age Marvel Comics: Familiar Names with Unfamiliar Faces

By

Michael Bedford

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July 28, 2016

My first article on Golden Age Marvel Comics gives an introduction to the big players in Timely Comics. I talk about The Human Torch, The Sub-Mariner, and The Angel, who all first appeared in Marvel Comics #1 (1939). Captain America and Bucky didn’t make their first appearance until Captain America Comics #1 published in 1941 (more on their origins here). The two-year gap between 1939 and 1941, though, saw some more familiar names, among forgettable characters like Terry Vance.

Taking a brief glance at the roster of Golden Age heroes, one could easily err, thinking Timely only published hits. I The Timely Comics Watchamacallit, though, am unfamiliar with brief glances. Only in-depth investigations will do. I watched Electro, The Falcon, The Black Widow, and The Vision appear in Golden Age Marvel Comics. And, they’re vastly different from their counterparts featured in MCU movies or in Silver, Bronze, or Modern Age comics. Read on, True Believers, all will become clear.

Golden Age Marvel Comics – Electro, the Marvel of the Age

Spider-Man fans are likely to have the most fleshed-out idea of the Silver, Bronze, and Modern Age version(s) of Electro. For those who don’t know him, Spidey’s Electro is a variably powerful villain who can absorb and manipulate electricity. Electro puts the webhead through his paces, but generally falls when Spider-Man puts on insulated boots and gloves. The Electro featured in Golden Age Marvel Comics is another thing, accent on thing, altogether.

Electro, the Marvel of the Age, first appeared in Marvel Mystery Comics #4, cover date February 1940. Created by Steve Dahlman, Electro is a super-powerful robot invented by Professor Zog in an effort to heal the world. Zog recruits a team of young men to operate his “wonder robot” remotely. The nigh-indestructible automaton, with Zog and company at the helm, bests aliens, mobsters, and foreign despots.

Beyond simply having a familiar name, though, Electro shares a number of similarities with one of Marvel Comics and the MCU’s best known heroes, the Invincible Iron Man created by Stan Lee, Larry Lieber, Jack Kirby, and Don Heck. Both characters sport red and gold armour, although Iron Man’s first appearances showed him in silver and then gold duds, and both are products of mechanical ingenuity rather than inborn super-powers.

The key difference between the two ideas is that Electro is piloted remotely, whereas Iron Man is operated by someone inside the armour (generally Tony Stark). The obvious narrative benefit of putting someone inside the armour is the added opportunity for dramatic tension: the armour’s occupant may be injured or killed where the robot could always be rebuilt.

Golden Age Marvel Comics – The Falcon

That’s right, The Falcon was fighting crime before Captain America. Unlike the Silver, Bronze, and Modern age Falcon who eventually donned Cap’s uniform, though, the Falcon in Golden Age Marvel comics didn’t fly or have a falcon for a sidekick. Instead, The Falcon is Carl Burgess, a ” … brilliant young assistant district attorney … ” who makes his first appearance on the cover of Daring Mystery Comics #5 (cover date June 1940). More like his Golden Age contemporary Batman than his Silver Age counterpart, the Golden Age Falcon uses his fists, his wits, and sometimes a .45 to outsmart murderers and thieves.

Golden Age Marvel Comics – The Black Widow

Appearing for the first time in Mystic Comics #4 (cover date August 1940) is the Golden Age Black Widow. Arguably as dissimilar to her Silver, Bronze, and Modern Age counterpart as Electro is to its, the Golden Age Black Widow is essentially a servant of Satan.

Claire Voyant, a popular medium, performs a public séance but disturbs her guests, the Wagner family, when her sitting room floods with red light. Old Mrs. Wagner says she came for a séance not a lesson in witchcraft. Voyant becomes enraged and lays the curse of Satan on the entire family. After his mother and sister die in a car crash on their way home from the ill-fated séance, young James Wagner, goaded on by Satan, swears vengeance on Voyant.

Vengeance, in James’s mind at least, is a dish best served piping hot. He returns that night to Voyant’s home and shoots her in the heart. As Voyant dies, she swears vengeance upon James. James runs out of the house when Satan himself appears and takes Voyant with him to Hell.

After Satan gives Claire the nickel tour of the realm of eternal damnation, he transforms her into the Black Widow. The Black Widow’s first act is to take vengeance on James Wagner. Employing Wagner’s philosophy of serving up hot vengeance, she meets him on a dock, and, killing him in the process, brands an image of a black widow into his forehead. Reconvening in Hell, Satan tells the Black Widow to prowl the earth in search of sinners to bring to Hell.

Golden Age Marvel Comics – The Vision

Finally, the Golden Age Vision first appeared in Marvel Mystery Comics #13 (cover date November 1940). Where the Silver, Bronze, and Modern Age Vision is a “synthezoid,” The Golden Age Vision is an entity from a “supernatural” dimension. The Golden Age Vision, who also goes by the name “Aarkus,” enters our world by way of Professor Enoch Mason’s “dimension smasher”. Even with the dimensional barrier smashed, though, Aarkus cannot enter or exit our world without the presence of smoke.

Professor Mason, we find out, took loans from mobsters in order to build his dimension smasher. The mobsters insist that Mason pay what he owes them or suffer the consequences. The Vision, like his Golden Age contemporaries, has no time for mobsters. He starts his crime-fighting career, when a mobster lights his cigarette, by murdering two of the gang (freezing one to death and making the other lose control of his car), and hogtying the rest for the police.

His otherworldly origins aside, the Golden Age Vision with his sometimes colloquial vernacular and passionate notions of justice seems more “human” than his Silver Age synthezoid counterpart. The Modern Age and MCU adaptations of The Vision, though, eventually develop into better humans than most.

Golden Age Marvel Comics – So Much More …

Well, True Believers, I hope you’ve enjoyed this introduction to Timely Comics’ familiar names with unfamiliar faces. Don’t forget to check out my articles on the Golden Age Civil War, the dawn of the Marvel Universe, and the top ten Timely Comics B-Listers and sidekicks!

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Review: ‘Micronauts’ #4: Karza Begins

By

Anthony Wendel

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July 28, 2016

The MICRONAUTS are caught between a rock and a hard place–or, in this case, a FORCE COMMANDER and a BARON KARZA. With their universe collapsing around them, the MICRONAUTS must survive a deadly civil war while the cataclysmic Entropy Storm keeps expanding. And whatever enters the Entropy Storm is never seen again!

Writing

The series finally pulls itself up by taking a look at a character’s back story. This issue looks into the rise of Baron Karza to power and his time serving both the Emperor and his fame hungry son, The Red Falcon. This plot showcases just how evil and formidable the Baron is, and did so better than the previous issue did when the rogue fended off an assassination attempt. Now, Karza feels like he would trample on any who stand in his way of obtaining his goals.

Writer Cullen Bunn has found a way to make Baron Karza seem threatening and help to shed some light on why he does what he does. Considering he is supposed to be one of the central villains of the series, this was a very strategic move. This attachment and intrigue about the characters was what the book was missing and is a welcomed sight to behold.

Artwork

The action scenes in the book are very engaging and the scenes of dialogue have the perfect use of shadow to make it look like everyone is scheming as they are talking. Artist Max Dunbar does a fantastic job. The part which really stands out in the book is a two page splash depicting an epic battle.

Conclusion

Taking roots of the villain’s past helps to sell him as the cold and calculating villain he is supposed to be. Baron Karza is compelling and interesting. Now if the same can be done for the main characters, this comic will have something going for it.

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REVIEW: ‘Café Society’ stiff, but appealingly sentimental

By

Felix Albuerne

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July 28, 2016

Café Society, the latest from writer/director Woody Allen, works hard to emulate for the viewer the feeling of reading a novel. It also works hard at ‘c’est la vie’ sentimentality, a sweet, stinging sorrow about love unrequited and dreams unfulfilled.

Some of it works due to the winsome cast and Allen’s trademark wit. But some of Allen’s other stylistic choices for the film feel labored, and at times the film seems to lose narrative focus.

Woody Allen film lovers will no doubt be more forgiving of Café Society‘s faults. But for others, those faults are sure to drag down what could have been a more poignant and entertaining film.

What’s it about?

In Café Society, Jesse Eisenberg (Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice) plays Bobby Dorfman, a sweet Jewish kid from the Bronx with dreams of making a life for himself in 1930’s Los Angeles. His mom, Rose (Jeannie Berlin), puts in a word for him with her brother, powerful Hollywood agent Phil Stern (Steve Carell), hoping Phil can help Bobby find a job.

Phil eventually proves to be Bobby’s introduction to the area’s movers and shakers, providing a glimpse of what most consider “the glamorous life.” But more importantly, Phil introduces Bobby to his assistant Vonnie (Kristen Stewart), and the two become fast friends.

In spending time with Vonnie, Bobby finds himself smitten by her unpretentious charm and strong sense of self. She wants to make it in Hollywood, like so many other gals from the Midwest who move to L.A. do. But she sees the superficiality and emptiness of the glamorous life plain as day, and Bobby comes to love her for that insight.

Their romance is not without complications, however. Soon, with his hopes dashed and his heart broken, Bobby returns to New York and goes to work running a night club with his gangster older brother, Ben (Corey Stoll, Ant-Man).

In time, Bobby seems to find his place in the world. He also finds love again in the form of socialite Veronica (Blake Lively, The Shallows), and the two marry after a swift but sincere courtship.

All seems well; that is, until Bobby’s past life in L.A. finds its way to New York, and reminders of days gone by prove impossible to leave behind.

Vintage Woody Allen

Allen himself provides voice over narration in Café Society. Thus, he guides the narrative of the film, both literally and figuratively, and his signature tone, wit, and comic timing are everywhere.

Also here are his lifelong preoccupations with Jewish family life and familial ties, gangsters, self-absorbed celebrities, and love, bittersweet love. What would a Woody Allen film be without such themes?

However, in crafting Café Society in the way he might craft a Jazz Age novel, Allen overreaches. The long-winded, prose-style narration feels stuffy and archaic, rather than timely and nostalgic, as it was no doubt meant to.

Strong cast, beautiful costume design

What does benefit Café Society is strong casting, starting with Jesse Eisenberg. It’s not often anymore that Eisenberg opts to play naive and kind-hearted, so its a treat to see it here. Carell is also fun to watch here as non-stop wheeler-and-dealer Phil, who claims to know everyone who’s everyone but didn’t know his own nephew until Bobby showed up in his office.

The film’s female leads deliver strong performances, as well. Both Stewart and Lively are called upon to project a classic American charm characterized by perceptiveness and purity of spirit. The intent clearly was for them both to be sympathetic characters audiences could root for, and their efforts pay off.

Of course, the characters meant to serve as caricature in Café Society earn the biggest chuckles here. Jeannie Berlin’s Rose is the archetypal Jewish mom so often found in Allen productions, while Corey Stoll gives an understated performance as the loving son and brother who happens to whack people for a living. There’s one in every family, right?

Costume and production design also stand out in Café Society. The suits, the evening gowns, and settings here bring to life an immersive, gloriously nostalgic vision of old time glamour. Don’t be surprised if this film comes up in conversations for Best Costumes and Production Design, even with awards season months away.

Worth seeing?

For devotees of Woody Allen’s long filmography and favorite themes, Café Society is simply a must. It’s not his best in recent years — that distinction still belongs to Midnight in Paris. It’s not even his funniest, or his most sentimental.

But it is a charming and engrossing film thanks to its cast and unmistakable Woody Allen touch. It’s a wistful flight into the land of dreams come and gone, a place we all get to know sometime in our adult lives.

It’s about the sad sweetness of “what might have been.” Spending time with the feelings those words evoke isn’t too bad, every now and again.

Café Society

Starring Jeannie Berlin, Steve Carell, Jesse Eisenberg, Blake Lively, Parker Posey, Kristen Stewart, Corey Stoll, Ken Stott. Directed by Woody Allen.
Running Time: 96 minutes
Rated PG-13 for some violence, a drug reference, suggestive material and smoking.

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Han Solo Won’t Show Up In ‘Rogue One’

By

Aric Sweeny

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July 28, 2016

When the young Han Solo film was announced awhile back, many fans began to wonder if we’ll see the character in Rogue One, as the timeline matches up. Adding to the speculation, one of the reasons behind casting the character so early before the movie hits theaters (releases in 2018) was supposedly to shoot a cameo for Rogue One. Well, that rumor has now been officially confirmed as false by Gareth Edwards himself.

“I’m not sure I’m allowed to do this but I think I should. I can put to bed, Han Solo is not in the movie.”

Are you disappointed? Glad? Be sure to let us know in the comments section of this article.

Resistance fighters (Felicity Jones, Diego Luna) embark on a daring mission to steal the Empire’s plans for the Death Star.

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story hits theaters on December 16.

Source: ComicBook.com.

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Review: ‘Sharknado: The 4th Awakens’ Is Ridiculous But So Fun

By

Dewey Singleton - Film Critic

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July 28, 2016

Sharknado: The 4th Awakens, directed by Anthony C. Ferrante, debuts this Sunday on the SyFy channel. The Sharknado franchise has quickly become a cultural phenomenon that transcends most conventional wisdom. The last three films have smashed viewership records for the Syfy network, and this one is sure to follow suit.

These films shouldn’t be judged by same measuring stick that we use to evaluate conventional releases, obviously. Ferrante isn’t trying to win the next Academy Award or even produce a quality product; for him, it’s all about good old fashion cheesy fun with a dash of horror. With that in mind, Sharknado: The 4th Awakens is a cheese lovers paradise. Rarely does a film combine homages to iconic films along with C-level action and special effects. The film is ridiculous, the narrative will cause people to question their sanity, but it’s still a lot of stupid fun.

It’s been five years since the last Sharknado attack. Billionaire high-tech guru Aston Reynolds (Tommy Davidson … yes, the guy from In Living Color) has saved us all from the Sharknado phenomenon by inventing something called an “astro-pod” that shoots isotopes into these twisters. Reynolds aims to capitalize on his newfound fame by opening an ornate Sharknado themed hotel on the Las Vegas strip. Fin Shepard (Ian Ziering) decides to leave Kansas along with his cousin, Gemini (Masiela Lusha) to attend a family reunion. The plan is for them to meet up with his son Matt (Cody Linley), his girlfriend Gabrielle (Imani Hakim), his father Gilbert Shepard (David Hasselhoff), and then attend the reunion. Fin seems to have turned his focus from slaying sharks to family first following the “death” of his wife April (Tara Reid who apparently is alive as it’s revealed in the first ten seconds of the trailer). Of course, all hell breaks lose.

One of the highlights of this film is the commitment exhibited by the cast to maintaining the campy nature of the movie. Everyone seems keenly aware that they aren’t making a serious film or even a quality film by any real metric, but they are making a movie that is as much ridiculous as it is entertaining. Ferrante demonstrates that there is joy in the absurd. For example, during the initial Sharknado attack, a group of Chippendale dancers take off their shirts and use their gyrating dance moves to combat the airborne menace. Watching this “action” sequence is flabbergasting, but hypnotizing at the same time, as one after another the pelvic thrusts cause the sharks to fly away from the hotel.

In Texas, as Fin and the family are trying to get away from this Sharknado, they happen to stumble upon the only chainsaw store for miles. Yes, a chainsaw store (which happens to be run by Dog The Bounty Hunter). As they run outside to stand their ground, it’s increasingly clear that the group will need a bigger weapon. So, of course, the store happens to have a piece of construction equipment affixed with a chainsaw. Sharknado logic.

Thunder Levin should be commend for developing a script that may have a razor thin narrative but is so full of entertaining moments. From homages to Star Wars, to The Wizard Of Oz, to borrowing famous phrases from the Las Vegas Tourism Board, his “narrative” (again using that term very loosely here) will make you giggle and leave you stunned, because Levin doesn’t believe in “not going there.” In the midst of the first Sharknado attack, Fin and Gabrielle fall 50 floors down in a car and get swept up by the high winds. Instead of accepting fate, Fin decides to windsurf using the power of the storm to help ease their decent. That isn’t even the most outrageous part. Gemini sees the car falling so she grabs a parachute and does what any rational human being would do and jumps off the building. Somehow, Gemini beats the car to the surface (Sharknado logic) and gets in the car when it lands. When fin hits the ground, he sees that Gemini made it and asks how she did it. She responds: ” What happens in Vegas, stays in vegas.” Groan.

The performances in this film are good and the cameos are plentiful (Sorry, I have been sworn to secrecy). This is the type of film that no one should overthink and just enjoy the mayhem as it unfolds. We sometimes forget that enjoyment and films go hand and hand.

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Review: ‘Captain Fantastic’ Mortensen Dazzles In Career Defining Role

By

Dewey Singleton - Film Critic

-

July 28, 2016

Captain Fantastic, written and directed by Matt Ross, asks audiences how extreme is your love for family? Are you willing to do whatever it takes, regardless of the sacrifice, to ensure a better life for loved ones?

Ben Cash ( Viggo Mortensen) is willing to uproot his life and move into the middle of the Oregon wilderness with his wife to provide a stable home life for their six children and provide peace for his wife’s troubled mind. Ross develops a film that will give you (as a good friend of mind would state) “all the feels.” Captain Fantastic is a film that contains a rainbow of emotions that will illuminate audiences and uplift their souls. It provides the highest of highs and the lowest of lows for the Cash clan. Ross shows us all families are far from perfect, and he accomplishes this by perfectly capturing the essence of what “family” truly means.

The Cash family leads a very simple existence. They live in the middle of the woods, farming, hunting, and doing daily chores to continue their survival. Ben leads his children through a routine of regular exercise and daily studies, which they do during their down time. As the film continues, we come to find out that his wife Leslie (Trim Miller) has been in a mental hospital for a few months dealing with a profound depression. Shortly after this revelation, Ben gets word that his wife has, in fact, committed suicide. This sobering moment leads to most of the family leaving the compound and heading towards New Mexico so that they can attend the funeral.

Ross crafts an engaging narrative. While the Cash children perform their daily rituals with military-like precision, the movie has less concern with what they do and more about what they are each going through. Each child is in the midst of an impressionable period in their lives, and all are struggling with the idea that Mom’s never going to be around again. As individuals we tend to learn how to cope with issues from seeing how others deal with similar problems; but here, these children haven’t been around other people. The social norms are foreign to them and emotionally stunt them. Is it possible that love this extreme can be a detriment?

Cinematographer Stéphane Fontaine showcases the beauty of the Oregon wilderness. My favorite moment had to have been the opening scene that involving the oldest son Bo (George McKay) hunting a deer, his rite of passage. Fontaine keeps the camera in close, tight shots on Bo and the deer, engaging the audience almost immediately. She perfectly captures the intensitiy of the hunt while capturing the look of detertmination on Bo’s face. When he does eventually kill the deer, the focus drifts from the actual kill to the aftermath, as we see the whole Cash clam emerge from the woods, camflouged from head to toe.

All that is great, but the biggest takeaway from Captain Fantastic is the performance of the Captain himself, Viggo Mortensen. A very soulful performance as the patriach of the Cash family, Mortensen exhibits authenticity, and is both magnificent and heartbreaking. Ben has spent the last 17 years trying to steer these children in a way that he thought was appropriate, but now he’s coming to grips with his intense style of parenting, and that it may have ultimately done more harm than good. This is a masterful performance that will certainly be considered one of the 10 best at year’s end.

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