Erlich Bachman himself, T.J. Miller, is joining the growing cast of Steven Spielberg’s adaptation of Ready Player One. According to THR, Miller will be playing i-R0k, a pesky troll inside the world of the game. You couldn’t ask for better casting.
Ready Player One, based on Ernest Cline’s bestselling novel, tells the story of a future dystopia, where a teenager battles most of society in a virtual world to try and find a hidden treasure left behind by the creator’s estate. That’s the basic premise, it’s way more convoluted than that. Miller will join an already impressive cast that includes Tye Sheridan, Olivia Cooke, Simon Pegg, Ben Mendelsohn and Mark Rylance.
Having Miller play a bothersome antagonist is an inspired bit of casting. The guy has the market cornered on Silicon Valley, and I can’t imagine the small role of i-R0k to be too far of a departure from Miller’s HBO character Erlich, who steals every scene in which he appears.
Ready Player One will hit theaters March 30, 2018.
The apocalypse is nigh… Curtis and Brock reveal why X-Men: Apocalypse is exactly the wrong kind of superhero cinema. The guys also discuss the volatility of the internet and what it means to be critics/creatives in this landscape (sorry for that title, the pun-ability was too tempting).
There’s also James Bond casting talk, Power Rangers Movie Universe revelations, hard-hitting Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson news and plenty of semi-ferocious back and forth to satisfy your UnPOP desires this week.
1:49 Going viral online and rage-filled reactions
9:04 Movie news banter
12:30 James Bond casting
15:30 Power Rangers Movie Franchise
19:01 “What’s Cookin’ in The Rock’s Kitchen?”
21:36 X-Men: Apocalypse Spoiler-free discussion
33:25 X-Men: Apocalypse Full spoiler review
57:09 Soapbox Moment regarding film criticism
Have a topic you’d like to hear UnPOPPED? Send any comments/love/vitriol to unpopentertainment@gmail.com
Room was one of the best movies of last year and now it’s looking like star Brie Larson is going to join the world of blockbusters. At the moment Heroic Hollywood, Variety, and The Hollywood Reporter are reporting that Larson is circling the role. Captain Marvel aka Carol Danvers would be the first female lead in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
They are also looking for a female director as well and the names currently in circulation are Niki Caro (Whale Rider, McFarland, USA) and Jennifer Kent (The Babadook).
Whether any of these names pan out is still up in the air but Larson would be an excellent choice for Carol Danvers. The current rumor is that we’re going to find out the Captain Marvel casting sometime during the summer.
Video Games have had a notorious legacy when being adapted to film – from the first live-adaptation Super Mario Bros. to recent efforts like Hitman: Agent 47, many of these movies have been derided by critics and audiences. Even the better movies like Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time and Mortal Kombat only make it to the standard of average.
The adaptation of the Warcraft series seemed like it could have broken this bleak run – it was directed by Duncan Jones whose previous movies have been critically acclaimed, the series has a large expanded universe, and the game’s developers were involved with the production. Even these convergences are not enough to save this fantasy movie.
The Orc warlock Gul’dan (Daniel Wu) leads a party of warriors from their dying world to the lustrous world of Azeroth. The Orcs are ordered to capture as many citizens as possible so the portal can be open long enough for all the Orcs can come to Azeroth. One Orc chieftain, Durotan (Toby Kebbel), has doubts about his leader’s motives and methods and seeks help from the kingdoms of Azeroth to stop Gul’dan and bring peace to the land.
The war-effort to stop the Horde is led by Sir Anduin Lothar (Travis Fimmel), the commander of the armies of Stormwind and the King’s (Dominic Cooper) brother-in-law. Lothar seeks out various mages and is ordered by the King to find out as much information as possible as Stormwind prepare their defence. There are betrayals and conflicted loyalties on both sides.
The Warcraft movie has been in production since 2006, and Blizzard Entertainment had Sam Raimi attached. Blizzard even rebuked the infamous Uwe Boll when he said he was interested in directing. However, the efforts have all been to no avail.
I have never played a Warcraft game so my reference point was Lord of the Rings and Game of Thrones, the gold standard of the fantasy genre because of their world building and characters. Warcraft does have a strong opening scene as a knight and an Orc prepare to have a fight before Durotan tells the origins of the war between the Alliance and the Horde. Warcraft is technically an adaptation of the first game Warcraft: Orcs & Humans but most people will see it as a prequel to the World of Warcraft online role-playing game. In some territories like the UK the movie is called Warcraft: The Beginning showing it is a prequel.
Video game critic Ben “Yahztee” Crowshaw jokingly said “f**k the Alliance” when he reviewed World of Warcraft: Cataclysm. There is a certain level of truth to that statement because the Horde were the more interesting faction. Orcs, goblins and similar creatures are often just mindless soldiers for an evil overlord – the orcs in Warcraft are shown to be a more complex warrior race like the Klingon from Star Trek and Dothraki in Game of Thrones – they enjoy warfare but they have a sense of honor when facing their enemies – having trial by combat and believe in fair-play. Durotan is the embodiment of these values as he tries to do the best for both his clan and family. There is humanity on that side of the war despite their monstrous appearance. The Horde has the more interesting characters and better acting, especially Kebbell as Durotan, the most well drawn character in the whole movie. Daniel Wu made a decent antagonist as he uses dark magic that corrupts the land, has no problem killing living things and torturing people. Composer Ramin Djawadi (who also worked on Game of Thrones) gave the Horde a really effective theme, using tribal drums and horns to give the music an imposing feel.
The Alliance is boring in comparison. They are just a generic collection of humans and wizards debating their next action to contend the Orcs. We got the noble hero, the young wizard, the reluctant senior wizard and the king who is trying to lead the defence of the kingdom as the other realms ask for help. There are scenes lifted from other fantasy movies like the Council of Elrond from Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Rings and certain betrayals come from the Tolkien series.
Jones and his co-writer Charles Leavitt were too willing to borrow ideas from other fantasy movies and books. When one young soldier appears on screen and interacts with the other members of the Alliance my first thought was ‘oh you are so dead’. The number of betrayals in the movie tries to compete with Game of Thrones – but Game of Thrones has a long build up. Many characters also do a noble sacrifice, preparing to give their lives for a greater cause – once or twice is fine but the movie does it four times.
The poor acting makes the Alliance even worst. Vikings star Travis Fimmel is okay, and he knows how to wield a sword. Dominic Cooper and Paula Patton (playing the half-orc Garona) are good actors and some of the better performers on the Alliance side, but Ben Schnetzer, and Ben Foster were dreadful as the mages. They were so stiff that it was embarrassing to watch.
The money was well spent on the special effects at least. The Orcs were motion captured performances, and they were so wonderfully detailed – there were cracks on their skin and small hairs on their bodies. It makes that look like real living creatures. The fantasy creatures like the wolves and griffins were also fantastic to look at, particularly the hairy, hulking wolves. Jones shows competence with the action sequences giving us a big battle fix. They are perfectly crafted as Orcs have punch-ups and humans and orcs battle. There were several sweeping shots like The Lord of the Rings movies.
Warcraft was shot in British Columbia which was beautiful for the forests and mountains but when we see inside the buildings interiors, and exteriors are too glossy. Compared to other fantasy movies and TV shows Warcraft looks too much like a sound stage – it’s too perfect. The worlds of Lord of the Rings, Game of Thrones, The Chronicles of Narnia and Pirates of the Caribbean felt lived in.
Jones has stated that 20 minutes had to be cut for the theatrical version, and it does show at times – the movie sometimes just skips to events and cuts some subplots to their bare minimum. One example is when a character in the Horde betrays another and that moment is made pointless when we see the next scene.
One of the big defences of Warcraft is it was made for fans. That’s all well and good, but a movie needs to appeal beyond its fanbase if it wants to start a new franchise. The special effects are spectacular, and Jones can handle the huge scale of epic adventure. The Hordes were perfectly represented but the Alliance was a dull collection of fantasy tropes.
The first issue of Marvel’s Civil War II is out and there is quite a bit to talk about. This comes from the minds and talents of Brian Michael Bendis, David Marquez and Justin Ponsor, who worked together on the recent Iron Man Reboot story line and other projects. Personally I loved the Reboot arc and was eager to see how they would handle this story.
Civil War II focuses on the conflict between Iron Man and Captain Marvel after the Terrigen Mists creates an Inhuman who can predict the future the “near perfect” precision. However, this doesn’t mean that such an ability makes our heroes’s job easier as is seen in the first issue. In fact, it is the fallout of using this ability that sets the stage for this confrontation.
The concept is excellent and for the most part the story works as it should. There were some beautifully written moments in this issue which connects you to the characters. And this is absolutely aided by the artistic talents of Marquez and Ponsor.
But there is a problem with the story. Ulysses.
Ulysses is the Inhuman who can see into the future, the literal center of this storm. And I don’t feel a bit sorry for his problem. This is a guy who is the reason why the heroes put their lives on the line twice in this issue, and not once do we see his take anything. We see Stark, we see Danvers, we even see Medusa, and they carry their weight of the story excellently.
Honestly you could get rid of Ulysses and the story would probably be better if he was replaced with a computer program, or with an established character who just developed the power themselves. The one time he’s given the opportunity to show some personality it’s devoted to a bad college shout out. If his role wasn’t the sole driving force of the story, then this wouldn’t be such a problem.
And before anyone goes off and say I’m bashing Mr. Bendis’s work, I love this guy’s storytelling from Alias, to Guardians of the Galaxy, to All New X-Men and his work on Iron Man. Furthermore, the last major scene of this issue was nothing short of moving. But this story is sadly hindered by this one weak character. Even if there was a short panel of him reacting to what happens at the end of this issue would’ve been good enough for me.
I’m hoping we’ll get to know Ulysses’s better, and have him be more than a token character. Because the Civil War II story has the emotion, just not in the one character who needs it the most.
Disney and Lucasfilm have launched a line of replica props that are to be the most accurate ever. The Star Wars Collectibles: Ultimate Studio Edition will sell props originating directly from the Propshop at Pinewood Studios in the United Kingdom (the same place all the ones for The Force Awakens were created). Using 3-D printers and having access to the original design schematics; these props will deliver maximum authenticity. Check out this video showing off the design process.
Lionsgate Premiere released the latest trailer for the action-thiller ‘Marauders’ starring Dave Bautista and Bruce Willis.
When a bank is hit by a brutal heist, all evidence points to the owner (Bruce Willis) and his high-powered clients. But as a group of FBI agents (Christopher Meloni, Dave Bautista and Adrian Grenier) dig deeper into the case – and the deadly heists continue – it becomes clear that a larger conspiracy is at play.
‘Marauders’ is directed by Steven C. Miller, from Michael Cody and Chris Sivertson’s screenplay. The film stars Christopher Meloni, Bruce Willis, Dave Bautista, Adrian Grenier, Johnathon Schaech, Lydia Hull, Tyler Jon Olson, and Texas Battle.
‘Marauders’ will hit theaters and on-demand July 1.
Released in 1987 and directed by Barry Levinson, Good Morning, Vietnam is a film that is quintessentially about a portion of the Vietnam War in 1965 and in particular one man’s story about his time in Vietnam; however, the film is also a representation of the very important role music can play. Adrian Cronauer (Robin Williams) is an Airman who has been brought to Vietnam to work as a DJ on the military’s radio service and to boost morale of the troops in Saigon. His first show opens with ‘Nowhere to Run’ by Martha Reeves & the Vandellas, this early rock and roll hit represents the characterisation of Cronauer; loud, raucous and animated. This song instantly indicates the journey the audience is about embark on with Cronauer.
After being told he cannot play modern music Cronauer responds with; ‘I Get Around’ (Beach Boys), ‘The Game of Love’ (Wayne Fontana and the Mindbenders) and ‘I Feel Good’ (James Brown). The songs are accompanied by Croanuer throwing the approved music (literally) aside, soldiers in the field laughing and dancing and his scowling superiors. The opening golden-oldie, the rock songs, and the war raging off-screen, Cronauer’s humorous irreverence, and the restrictive official stiffness are skilfully entwined to portray conflicting viewpoints about the Vietnam War itself.
A particular poignant moment in Good Morning, Vietnam is the use of ‘What a Wonderful World’ (Louis Armstrong). The visuals of this sequence start with beautiful scenic shots of Vietnam, transitioning into shots of napalm explosions and an assassination. The imagery of this montage show the true horrors of the Vietnam War that were hidden or covered up from the American public up till 1965 by sweet and tranquil tales that are reminiscent of Armstrong’s lyrics.
The contrast of imagery and music in this film are what help to define Good Morning, Vietnam. The images trump the music in almost every case which helps to describe and portray the true tragic reality of what happened in Vietnam at this time. The reality of this war was blinded from the public and the music represents how the general American people were feeling, with happy, upbeat music that does not encourage fear or sadness like the imagery of the film or the true events of the Vietnam War that we now know today. Ironically despite Good Morning, Vietnam putting together an excellent narrative that takes its audience on a journey through the Vietnam War and accurately depicts the reality of war in general, the film is still predominately remembered for its fun, 1960s soundtrack and comedic performance from leading man, Robin Williams.
The only thing that has been confirmed by 20th Century Fox is that Wolverine 3 will be Hugh Jackman’s final time playing the iconic title character. Next to nothing is known about the plot of the third Wolverine film, but one rumor that won’t seem to go away is this movie will be at least partially be based on the popular comic book entitled Old Man Logan. Production got underway almost a month ago, and recent photos seem to be validating this rumor as being fact. Check out this first photo.
The Daily Mail recently snapped this photo of Hugh Jackman in New York City shortly after production started on Wolverine 3. What immediately stands out is that it’s not only a departure from Wolverine’s trademark mutton chops, but he’s sporting a beard speckled with gray in it. Doesn’t that look familiar? Check out this Instagram post as well.
A post shared by Hugh Jackman (@thehughjackman) on
Here is even a better shot of Hugh Jackman working out and sporting that same beard speckled with gray in it.Even the website, justjared.com has posted photos of Hugh Jackman on the set of Wolverine 3 yesterday sporting that similar look.
What do you guys think? IsWolverine 3 going to be based on the Old Man Logan storyline or is this just a new image for Wolverine?
Friday the 13th is getting another reboot, following that reboot in 2009 that was a soulless cash grab that didn’t grab much cash. It’s been bandied about for several months, as far back as December where Prisoners scribe Aaron Guzikowski came on board to write the screenplay.
In an interview with The Reel Word, producer Brad Fuller spoke about the new direction of this Friday the 13th. While Jason’s mother will still be there, and the origin will still be somewhat recognizable, Fuller says it will still be something new:
“Aaron’s story has great characters…You kind of have to understand Jason Voorhees, so we go back and we kind of started over and work our way forward… [The story is] Origin-ish, but it’s an origin that no one has seen before. Obviously Pamela’s there, but it’s a little bit different from what you’ve seen before.”
Here is a video of Fuller explaining in some detail what the plan is for this new Friday the 13th:
Tweaking Jason’s origin story shouldn’t be too much of a foul for fanboys. It shouldn’t be, but who knows anymore. Hopefully this time around the reboot will work. Either way, we’ll get a new Vorhees picture January 2017.
