The review of Captain America will be dealing with a major plot twist at the ending. So if you have not read the issue, read that first and then come back here. Because I’ve read that issue, and I’m not happy. Not in the least.
I’m never against a good twist to keep the reader interested in a character and their growth. Furthermore, I do try not to get on a soap box on a writer’s work, because I’ve had to deal with that tripe, and nothing boils a writer’s blood than someone who thinks they know how to make your story better.
But…this does not sit well with me.
I understand with many of the problems that have come with Captain America over the years, and there’s many valid points to be made. But the guy was one of my top heroes as a kid, and he still is as an adult. I see in him the potential of any and all of humanity to do good, regardless of who you are. And when you change the man himself, then you ruin what makes him stand out apart from the rest.
While some see Captain America as a jingoistic character, they fail to see him as a figure for everyone, the common person. The association with America is circumstantial, and in my opinion, should not be his defining trait. He is evolution of the good Samaritan, who just happens to have enhanced human abilities and a incredibly useful shield at his disposal.
Credit: Marvel
So to have him be a hidden member of Hyrda for his entire career! Are you kidding me?!? This…I’m sorry, I’m having trouble digesting this and not wanting to punch something in the process. I want to have hope the writers are gonna have something to make this wrath go away. I really do. But I have a real fear this is going to be a lot worse before it gets any better.
To be fair, I know stories are written months before they wind up going to print. And I do feel that Marvel isn’t going to let this character’s legacy get butchered to death for a story line. But the pessimist in me is well convinced I’m not gonna enjoy the story’s turnout. I hate to think that it’s right.
Note: It has come to my attention that the writer, Nick Spencer, has been receiving death threats due to this ending. I want it known without a shadow of a doubt that it was never my intention to incite such a violent response, nor do I condone this action in any way, shape, or form. I sincerely, and humbly, apologize to Mr. Spencer for whatever influence I may have had in this, and beseech every reader of this article to not encourage this behavior any further. Thank you.
With Memorial Day just around the corner, it’s the sign May is coming to an end. This means it’s time for another installment of Geekflix on Netflix, where 10 titles are labeled required viewing for anyone who wants to keep their geek credentials strong. 1. Breaking The Magician’s Code Seasons 1 & 2 (June 1st)
When these specials were first airing it got a lot of attention thanks to the fact the host never removed his mask. This was one of the few good reality shows before the overload of them on TV today. Watch as the Masked Magician reveals some of the oldest tricks in the history of magic. Some of them really are just smoke and mirrors.
2. Jurassic Park (June 1st)
One of the greatest movies of all time makes it way onto Netflix. Yes, the sequels are coming as well but you can skip those. Still, if you haven’t taken the time to watch this highly quotable film you owe it to yourself to experience it first hand. If you don’t how are you going to keep getting excited for the next Jurassic World movie.
3. The Odd Couple II (June 1st)
After making Grumpy Old Men, actors Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau did a bunch of movies together to show they were still great as a comedy team as they ever were. This film, a sequel to the 1968 original has the two unlikely friends taking a road trip on their way to watch their kids get married. Of course its also on lists for being one of the worst sequels ever so you can always check to see if it really is as bad people say.
4. Rock the Kasbah (June 1st)
Not exactly geek cred material but this list needed 10 entries so just go with it. Even some of the worst critical bombs by Billy Murray were halfway enjoyable once they made it to home video, like Larger than life or The Man who knew too little. So this one about a music producer who has to go into a war zone to look for a singer he wants to promote should be good for a laugh at the very least.
5. Beauty and the Beast: Season 3 (June 2nd)
With all the great shows which have been coming off the CW, this series really hasn’t gotten much attention. With the upcoming 4th season scheduled to be the last one, it’s time to play catch up so you can enjoy the series when it ends this coming August. Watch as Detective Catherine Keller is repeatedly rescued by a mysterious man who may in fact be a beast. A dashingly handsome beast but still a beast.
6. Voltron: Legendary Defender (June 10th)
Unlike previous attempts to make a sequel to the classic anime Voltron, such as Voltron: The Third Dimension or Voltron Force, this new series is set to be a complete reimagining of the series. With executive producers who have worked on both Avatar: The Last Airbender and Avatar: Legend of Korra and character designs which seem to be in the same style, the series has a lot going for it. Expect Monkeys Fighting Robots to be giving this series a lot of attention when it is released.
7. The Giver (June 15th)
One of the most acclaimed Science Fiction novels of all time didn’t exactly capture the critics or the box office when it was released. Still there has to be something worth watching in this adaptation starring Jeff Bridges. If not, maybe it will at least make people go out and want to read the book.
8. Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: Season 3 (June 16th)
Agent Coulson and his team are back again. This time Terrigen has spread throughout the ocean and caused people to turn into Inhumans, individuals with incredible powers and abilities. It’s up to S.H.I.E.L.D. to keep the peace while at the same time fighting against another mysterious organization, a new Inhuman who seems to be gathering forces, and Hydra which is now being run by Grant Ward.
9. Orange is the New black: Season 4 (June 17th)
The critically acclaimed Netflix original series is back for its fourth season. After events of the third season, the prison has been remodeled to allow more prisoners. This means more comedy mixed with moments of intense drama as the cast grows. This one is probably one you won’t be watching with your parents or family on a rainy day.
10. Sin City: A Dame To Kill For (June 22)
Since the stories are supposed to be taking place at the same time as the first Sin City film, is this technically a sequel or a part two? Either way, this film was able to assemble the original cast to revise their roles to show everything happening at the same time as the original stories. Is it able to capture the energy of the first film? It’s probably better if you watch it for yourself and make the call.
Jason Bourne is coming out July 29, which seems like an eternity. TV spots aren’t normally that interesting or worth revisiting, but this one – set primarily in Las Vegas – has an insane car crash/stunt even for a Bourne film.
Enjoy:
https://youtu.be/ZU78j-gcPAU
He jumps the car, lands on top of the SWAT van, therein crashing into a lit up awning in front of a casino. Whew!
It doesn’t even really matter that Jason Bourne looks exactly like the previous two Paul Greengrass entries. That means it looks awesome and hopefully there will be a story surrounding the kinetic action set pieces to make this a welcome return for Matt Damon.
Joining Damon and franchise stalwart Julia Styles is hot commodity Alicia Vikander, Tommy Lee Jones, and Vincent Cassel, who is undoubtedly a villain because, I mean… c’mon…
The Flash has been an enjoyable show over its first two seasons. For the most part, Barry Allen has been the superhero we all want him to be. He’s a guy who loves saving the day and helping people. He’s also a smart scientist but man he can do some dumb stuff.
Last season Barry was obsessed with going back in time and preventing his mother’s death. Yeah, it’s a noble idea. But as any Dr. Who or David Bowie fan will you tell you “you can’t change time.” Trying to do so will just make matters a whole lot worse. Yet Barry plowed forwarded putting the needs of one against the needs of the many. He risked destroying everything to bring his mom back. Not a good superhero move at all. In the end, everything wasn’t destroyed but he did manage to open a rift between his Earth and a parallel Earth. Thus allowing the deadly Zoom into his Earth to wreak havoc.
From there Barry seems to get dumber. He heads to Earth-2 to track down Zoom on his home turf. Instead of keeping his mind on the prize he ends up fascinated by his powerless Earth-2 doppelgänger being married to Iris. Barry knocks out “other Barry” and wastes time playing house with Iris. This ends up getting Earth-2 Joe dead. Sure, that Joe didn’t like Barry, but he certainly didn’t deserve to die.
SPOILERS IF YOU HAVEN’T WATCHED THE LAST EPISODES YET
Barry continues the trend of putting the needs of a friend in front of the needs of the many. Zoom has Wally West and demands Barry’s speed in return for Wally’s life. Barry decides to take the deal. He’s not even thinking that “Gee without my speed nobody will be able to stop this crazed superhuman from killing whomever he wishes.” This one is also on Harrison Wells, who against his better judgment helped Barry transfer his speed to Zoom. Really between Barry, Harrison, Caitlin and Cisco they couldn’t come up with a better plan than, “Yep Zooms a crazy mad man but let’s give him the speed.” Zoom for his part doesn’t kill Wally but takes Caitlin.
Next, Wells may have a way for Barry to get his speed back giving him a chance to stop Zoom. Instead of saying, “yes let’s do this!” Barry dilly-dallys and when your suppose to be the Flash that’s not a good thing. On one hand you can sort of see Barry’s logic about being afraid what another particle accelerator accident could do. Kind of weird time for Barry to start thinking of the needs of the many. Plus, there is already a crazed super human killer at large in the city who threatens to kill anybody who opposes him. Yet it still takes the murder of a dozen innocent cops to spring Barry into action.
After that, due to a “mishap” Barry ends up in the Speed Force (It’s best not to think about it). With a bit of effort from his friends and soul-searching on his part, Barry returns from the Speed Force. Zoom is still free and crazy and all, but Barry is big eyed and sweetly optimistic that “the force is with us.” Of course, as pretty much-telegraphed, things don’t work out so well for Barry as Zoom kills his dad. Zoom does this to show Barry how they are alike.
In the finale, it turns out Zoom’s main goal is to just prove he is the fastest man on any Earth. He simply wants to race Barry. Oh, he also wants to use Barry’s speed plus his to power up a doomsday type of device that will destroy all the multiverse Earth’s except this Earth. Barry’s team realizes it’s pretty foolish of Barry to even consider this. They knock him out and place him in a holding cell. Suffice to say, Barry gets out and finally manages to defeat Zoom and save the multiverse. All appears to be fairly good. Iris even wants to hook up. But no, Barry is not content. He decides once again, the “heck with all of reality” he travels back in time and saves his mom. He realizes he messed things up big time when he sees his past self disappear. Good job Barry, good job.
Yes, it appears the writers are setting up Flashpoint from the comics for season 3. Which if done well should be quite fun. Still, let’s hope when it’s over Barry (and the writers) learn a lesson and in the future, Barry will act more like the smart dude he is.
Middle-aged horse angst has never sounded more enticing. Will Arnett took to Twitter this morning (via Splitsider) to announce the 2016 debut of his anthropomorphic horse. Netflix will official stomp out the third season of the (rightfully) acclaimed animated series on July 22nd, with all 13 episodes coming in their regular full swoop.
To celebrate, BoJack accompanied the announcement with a new teaser featuring some, shall we say, choice words regarding his critics. You know, the ones who have gone on to call his show “an empathetic portrait of middle-aged melancholy” and “one of television’s best shows,” among other things. It might not be much but, for fans of the show like myself, it’s a delightful little taste at what’s to come. And as one of Netflix’s best original programs only continues to get better with each wayward step, one hopes they’ll keep finding comedic/dramatic excellence to dig from their their pitifully self-aggrandizing, soulfully misshaped stallion-man.
After all, it be a shame if they started horsin’ around at this point.
Alright, that’s enough horse puns for one article, I’d say. I’ll let showrunner Raphael Bob-Waksberg do what he does best. Check out the video below, and try to contain your giddy excitement as best you can for the next two months-or-so.
Season 2 of HBO’s True Detective was an insane time in popular culture. Met with great anticipation, the debut episode left most scratching their heads. Then things got weirder for a while before eventually turning into something hypnotically fascinating. The middle episodes were pretty great, with the penultimate episode brilliantly setting up… utter failure.
Now it seems Nic Pizzolatto might be leaving True Detective behind entirely, scrapping any plans for a third season in lieu of a new project with HBO. Head of programming Michael Lombardo recently stepped down and was replaced by Casey Bloys, who was recently in charge of the comedy section at the network, namely the highly successful Veep and Silicon Valley.
While juggernaut Game of Thrones and the final season of Damon Lindelof’s Peabody-winning drama The Leftovers shouldn’t require too much of Bloys’ time, other decisions, including the fate of True Detective, now fall to him. (HBO sources suggest a new project from creator Nic Pizzolatto is more likely.)
More likely. That means Pizzolatto, much maligned after the catastrophic failures of True Detective season 2 is more apt to tackle something altogether different. Outside the massive hit of Game of Thrones, a true cultural watershed moment for the network, HBO’s dramas have faltered. There was True Detective, the forever-delayed Westworld, and more recently the practically unwatchable Vinyl, which faded from the consciousness week to week.
Trying to reinvigorate the series, which took off like a rocket after the terrific season 1, could be a possibility. And maybe moving Pizzolatto off the project is the best move. After Cary Fukunaga jumped ship following constant disagreements with Pizzolatto, the show was left in Pizzolatto’s hands and he definitely screwed things up because of a profound lack of focus. I, for one, have retained fond memories from season 2 – most of which revolve around Colin Farrell – and I’d like to see a new direction for the show. I don’t want it to go away, but maybe it’s for the best.
After singlehandedly dominating the meth game in New Mexico, Bryan Cranston is now an undercover Narc dead set on bringing down drug lord Pablo Escobar in this new trailer for The Infiltrator:
And here’s your synopsis:
Based on a true story, Federal agent Robert “Bob” Mazur (Bryan Cranston) goes deep undercover to infiltrate Pablo Escobar’s drug trafficking scene plaguing the nation in 1986 by posing as slick, money-laundering businessman Bob Musella. Teamed with impulsive and streetwise fellow agent Emir Abreu (John Leguizamo) and rookie agent posing as his fiancé Kathy Ertz (Diane Kruger), Mazur befriends Escobar’s top lieutenant Roberto Alcaino (Benjamin Bratt). Navigating a vicious criminal network in which the slightest slip-up could cost him his life, Mazur risks it all building a case that leads to indictments of 85 drug lords and the corrupt bankers who cleaned their dirty money, along with the collapse of the Bank of Credit and Commerce International, one of the largest money-laundering banks in the world.
So there you have it, a fairly generic cop thriller that could be elevated by the presence of Cranston, who brings incredible weight and energy to all of his work. Even Malcolm in The Middle.
Alice Through the Looking Glass, the Tim Burton-produced sequel to Burton’s 2010 re-visioning of Disney’s animated film based on Lewis Carroll’s classic stories, delivers all the visual splendor one might expect given its predecessor’s colorful sights and characters.
However, it’s all smoke and mirrors, eye candy meant to distract from a pedestrian sequel concept and a weak script. It’s slow and stiff at the start, and though it does manage to get rolling halfway through, by then it’s too late to salvage the film experience.
What’s it about?
After years at sea captaining her late father’s trading vessel, the Wonder, Alice Kingsleigh (Mia Wasikowska) returns to London to find her father’s legacy as well as her own future imperiled. While at a loss as to how to face that real-world crisis, Alice finds herself drawn through a magical looking glass by an old friend, the butterfly Absolem (voiced by the late Alan Rickman) and returned to “Underland”, the place of her fantastical childhood adventures.
Once there, her old tea party companions — the Tweedles, Dee and Dum (both voiced by Matt Lucas), Bayard the Bloodhound (Timothy Spall), McTwisp the White Rabbit (Michael Sheen), Mallymkun the Dormouse (Barbara Windsor), Earwicket the March Hare (Paul Whitehouse), and Cheshire the Cat (Stephen Fry) — and White Queen Mirana (Anne Hathaway) beg her to visit the Hatter (Johnny Depp), who has become “mad” with melancholy over a discovery from his past.
That discovery and Hatter’s malady puts Alice on a quest through and against Time itself, literally, as the embodiment of Time (Sacha Baron Cohen) seeks to prevent her from re-writing the past in order to save her friend. Along the way, an old enemy, Iracebeth the Red Queen (Helena Bonham Carter), rears her heart-shaped head hoping to use Time’s powers for her own purposes, and Alice must face the possibility that even for her, there are some things that may truly be impossible.
Not enough madness
In Alice Through the Looking Glass, screenwriter Linda Woolverton (Maleficent, The Lion King) makes sure to utilize all the wondrous toys she previously re-tooled and put to use in her script for Alice in Wonderland. She also promises in the film’s set-up to build some backstory for audience favorites Hatter and Iracebeth, while also creates a memorable new bauble in the character of Time. Sacha Baron Cohen clearly enjoys his time in the role, but audiences may enjoy even more all the opportunities for puns and one-liners at Time’s expense.
But even with all those exquisite toys at his disposal, director James Bobin (Muppets Most Wanted) chooses to play it safe with the material. Unlike Burton, who has never shied from at least intimating some undercurrent of darkness to his visual feasts, Bobin keeps things light, kid-friendly, and unsophisticated in Alice Through the Looking Glass. There’s no edge, not even a trace of real “madness” to be found, even in scenes featuring the Hatter, who’s more sad than “mad” for most of the film, and the once-murderous Red Queen, who is simply sullen and shrill here.
The rest of the returning cast is more or less walking, talking window dressing, with Anne Hathaway’s presence easily the most wasted here. There’s simply not enough for everyone to do, and their inclusion in the story feels obligatory. Yes, the characters would be missed if they were absent, but as constructed, Alice Through the Looking Glass makes them feel shoehorned in as little more than glorified cameos.
Tea party for the eyes
Where Alice Through the Looking Glass does not disappoint is in its visuals, which benefit from the ongoing improvement of CGI and motion capture technology. Make no mistake, must of the film looks and feels as though it was shot in front a green screen, but that’s the standard that was set with the 2010 film, and thus its to be expected here.
Taken for what they are, there’s much to enjoy in the spectacles delivered on screen, especially if seen in 3D. Sequences built around Alice traversing the Oceans of Time, or she and her allies making their way through Iracebeth’s gargantuan fortress make for memorable set pieces. Note that these sequences take place later in the film, helping Alice Through the Looking Glass overcome its relatively slow and stilted start.
Worth seeing?
If you were a fan of the first film, then yes, Alice Through the Looking Glass is worth seeing, and further, its worth seeing in a premium venue, such as IMAX or IMAX 3D. Better that way to enjoy all that visual whimsy, and be fully immersed in the world crafted by the film’s truly talented special effects and production design teams.
But if you’re looking for depth beyond all the eye candy, or if you were just hoping for something a little more Johnny Depp or Helena Bonham Carter-centric this time around, best to wait for video.
Alice Through the Looking Glass
Starring Johnny Depp, Anne Hathaway, Mia Wasikowska, Rhys Ifans with Helena Bonham Carter and Sacha Baron Cohen. Directed by James Bobin.
Running Time: 113 minutes
Rated PG for fantasy action/peril and some language.
If you’re looking for bloody, crime oriented action thriller with a captivating storyline and bad ass fight scenes, the 2010 South Korean film The Man From Nowhere is the perfect watch!
Although there’s a lot to be said about this film, I will keep it very brief because I want potential viewers to watch this film with very little clues as to what the movie is about so it doesn’t ruin the awesome anticipation and twists the film provides. The movie basically centralizes around a quiet pawnshop owner named Cha Tae-sik, who is befriended by his adorable little neighbor So-mi. Unfortunately So-mi is a product of REALLY bad parenting in which her mother Hyo-jeong gets involved with some gang activity and therefore provoking the sudden kidnapping.
The thing I adore most about The Man From Nowhere is that is follows the tradition of illustrating an intriguing story line in South Korean form. If you haven’t had an opportunity to watch any sort of South Korean cinema, they tend to pack a surprise punch to the emotional gut on top of already reeling you in with their beautifully compelling style of storytelling while orchestrating a power music score to top it all off. And it’s not any different with The Man From Nowhere, as I totally unexpectedly caught myself embarrassingly choking up with tears streaming down my face as my heart completely melted at certain parts of this film.
However, there is an immense amount of action and fight scenes we can’t forget about. The relentlessness of Cha Tae-sik in regards to finding So-mi is what makes the entire film so fantastic. Just as with American film regarding the one lone badass taking out a huge platter of skilled men, this follows the same format but with a little more brutal qualities, as Cha Tae-sik isn’t in game to just temporarily knock those who get in his way out. He is literally out to seek and destroy leading up to one of the best knife fights I have ever seen in film.
So quit skipping past it on Netflix, and check out The Man From Nowhere today! It is also available on various streaming outlets such as YouTube, Amazon Video, Google Play, iTunes and Vudu.
By now, everyone is familiar with Steve Rogers, better known to most as Captain America. Captain America has managed to stay relevant throughout the years, and with the release of ‘Captain America: Civil War’ it’s not hard to see why. Be sure to get in on the action by checking out the Captain America online slot machine on the Ladbrokes website today! But where did the star-spangled-hero start out?
Created in 1941, Captain America was created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby and first introduced to the world in ‘Captain America Comics #1’. Capitalising on the patriotic feelings that were widespread during the Second World War, Steve Rogers was the all-American that the United States wanted to see, and his ongoing stories often saw him clashing with the Nazi forces on the frontlines.
Before he was a soldier, though, Steve Rogers (born in 1920) was just a scrawny kid from the Lower East Side of Manhattan, making his living as a comic book writer and artist while he studied fine arts. Rogers is finally moved into taking action against the rising Third Reich when the USA joins the Second World War. However, Rogers’ attempts to join the army are rebuffed, as he doesn’t measure up to the physical standards for recruitment. This rejection doesn’t deter him, though, and Rogers continually applies to different sectors of the military-and eventually, his determination pays off.
Roger’s commitment and drive brings him to the eye of General Chester Phillips, who is head of the Secret Project: Rebirth. The idea of the project is to use a special ‘super-serum’ to make a super soldier, and while he is only initially a test subject, Rogers reaction to the serum is perfect, transforming him into Captain America!
Taking part in many exciting battles and campaigns, Captain America was joined in the midst of World War Two by many different allies, the most recognisable being Bucky Barnes, the teenage sidekick who was featured in nearly all of Captain America’s adventures from the start. From punching Hitler in the face to thwarting the Red Skull, Bucky and Cap were inseparable-until (in the closing days of World War Two) the two came up against a sabotaged prototype drone plane that is rigged to explode. After failing to defuse the bombs, Bucky is caught in the blast, and Captain America is thrown from the plane into the North Atlantic Sea, where his body is frozen, and left in suspended animation.
Awoken in the present day, Rogers body was recovered by the first iteration of The Avengers. Then consisting of Iron-Man, Thor, Ant-Man and Wasp, The Avengers were happy to welcome in the newly revived Captain America, whose skill and experiences lent themselves brilliantly as the leader of this new team.Together with his new comrades, Rogers would come up against many of the enemies he faced down in the Second World War; One of which being The Red Skull.
Once a leading Nazi, and now the head of the criminal organisation Hydra, The Red Skull is committed to his idea of a perfect world, and will stop at nothing to achieve his goals. Obsessed with domination and an insane need to defeat Captain America, The Red Skull is probably Rogers’ most threatening adversary-certainly the most recognisable.
