‘Captain America: Civil War’ conquers the box office this weekend, but did it reach our soul, and did it deliver the Marvel Cinematic movie they’ve built up since 2008.
EJ pulls no punches with his dislike for the Disney formula of the MCU. Matt, on the other hand, enjoyed the film but is still waiting for the Marvel movie that takes chances and inspires us all. (Marvel Studios is so close! -Matt)
Bonus conversation: ‘Game of Thrones’ and ‘Fear the Walking Dead’
Do you have a question that you would like answered during the show?
Email your questions to matt@popaxiom.com.
Never heard of Matt Sardo? For starters, he made the Kessel Run in less than 11 parsecs. Prior to that, he gave Doc Brown the idea for the flux capacitor and led the Resistance to victory over SkyNet – all while sipping a finely crafted IPA. As a radio host, he’s interviewed celebrities, athletes and everyone in between. He’s covered everything from the Super Bowl to Comic-Con.
Who is EJ Moreno? Is he a trained physician? No. Is he a former Miss Universe contestant? Possibly. But what we know for sure is he’s a writer, filmmaker, and pop culture enthusiast. Since film school, EJ has written & directed several short films. He’s used his passion of filmmaking to become a movie critic for MonkeysFightingRobots.com.
Ryan Murphy Answers My Prayers! Jessica Lange and Susan Sarandon To Play Joan Crawford & Bette Davis!
Somehow ‘Glee‘ & ‘American Horror Story‘ creator Ryan Murphy must be reading my journal. For years, I’ve wanted the infamous feud between screen legends Joan Crawford and Bette Davis to be showcased.
It looks like in 2017, my dreams are coming true!
Another anthology series from the TV-genius; ‘Feuds‘ will showcase “bouts and blows of epic conflicts”. The first season’s epic feud will be between Joan Crawford & Bette Davis. The two actresses worked together on the film ‘Whatever Happened To Baby Jane‘ and attempted to make each other lives hell.
The last time I’ve saw an adaption of Joan Crawford was the cult-classic “Mommie Dearest” so I’m happy to see the original diva get another chance to shine. I’m a huge fan of Jessica Lange; look for this to be another show-stealing role for her. This will be one of the first times anyone has played Bette Davis on-screen and I think Susan Sarandon is the perfect actress for the role.
This 8-episode mini-series titled ‘Feuds‘ will debut sometime in 2017. It will also star Alfred Molina (as director Robert Aldrich), Judy Davis (as famed gossip columnist Hedda Hopper), and Stanley Tucci (as studio head Jack Warner).
Are you looking forward to this new Ryan Murphy show on FX?
There is a certain quality to the Dark Knight of Gotham carrying an undeniable appeal. Even in crossover that seemed to work only on paper can become grand epics of good versus evil. One of the more intriguing crossovers was with a certain Judge from Mega-City One, Judge Dredd. Being one of my favorite crossovers, period, Batman/Judge Dredd offers amazing action and an exciting story line impossible to forget.
Credit: DC Comics
Dredd, for those who don’t know, is a satirical character from Great Britain’s Rebellion Comics on the American justice system in a distant future where the police are literally judge, jury, and, if need be, executioner. Despite being a satirical character, he is also a major force to be reckoned with and is anything but comical in his avocation of the law.
Especially when he starts shooting stuff, that is not fun at all.
Credit: DC Comics
Batman and Dredd’s story spans four significant arcs in the Batman/Judge Dredd crossovers. starting with Judgement on Gotham, and going through Vendetta in Gotham, The Ultimate Riddle, and finally Die Laughing.
As Dredd is the literal embodiment of law itself, he is not keen on vigilantes running wild in his city. so when he meets Batman when the Dark Knight takes on Judge Death, a fierce enemy of Dredd.
Credit: DC Comics
Forced to work together, the two begin a grudging alliance as they try to save their cities and themselves from the wanton destruction of Judge Death, the Scarecrow, the Riddler, the Ventriloquist, and the Joker. Each story carries is own feel, vibe, and personal touch that give them their own autonomy, while still weaving a grander story with a thrilling conclusion.
Personally, while I like the second and third acts, I feel the first and fourth arcs are the strongest. The art is weird, creepy and gorgeous. The story doesn’t let you go, and the twists give the story an exciting flavor. Dredd has the look of a man ready to burst through a wall and take on all the gangs and criminals the city can throw at him. Batman is simply trying to keep his city from tearing itself apart. And the supporting cast for these two specific stories are superb.
Credit: DC Comics
If you want to read a Batman story that isn’t canon, or if you want to get a real introduction to Judge Dredd, this is an excellent read.
What did you think of the crossover? Which were your favorite stories?
Wicked is one of the most popular musicals around, playing on Broadway for nearly 13 years and is the 10th longest running music in the famous theater district. It has played on the West End since 2006 and has been performed in numerous major cities from Sydney to Seoul, to Sao Paulo. It made stars out of its two leads, Idina Menzel, and Kristin Chenoweth.
Based on the 1995 novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of West by Gregory Maguire – which was itself a reinterpretation of L. Frank Baum’s Oz series giving The Wicked Witch of the West a sympathetic backstory and changing the world of Oz. It was adapted into a musical by Stephen Schwartz and Winnie Holzman and started in San Francisco before moving to New York.
Universal bought the film rights in 2004 and production for the movie began in 2012. Stephen Daldry (Billy Elliot) is set to direct with Holzman writing the screenplay. But progress has been very, very slow.
A Wicked adaptation would still be a big hit, and Elphaba would be one of the most sought-after roles in Hollywood. The role would require someone with a powerful singing voice with the acting ability to show her as a social outcast to student activity, and to rebelling against the Wizard’s tyranny. It is a role for a star or an up-and-comer, so let’s look at five young actresses who could play the iconic character.
Gemma Arterton
Kicking off this list is English actress Gemma Arterton. At 30-years-old Arterton has proven herself to a very talented actress, appeared in numerous movies, ranging from comedies to dramas to action flicks.
Early on in her career Arterton was seen as a star in the making, starring in the rebooted St Trinian’s series, Quantum of Solace, Clash of the Titans and Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, but in recent years she has focused on appearing in indie films. She deserves a second chance at stardom and leading Wicked! could be a way to do it.
It would be easy to picture Arterton being painted green. She has also lead the musical adaptation of Made in Dagenham on the West End. An actor or actress needs to have serious singing chops to perform on such a big stage (no pun intended). She was nominated for a Laurence Olivier Award and Whatonstage.com Award for Best Actress. Arterton also played a singing teacher in the British dramedy Song for Marion.
Arterton is a graduate of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA), and her roles have shown she can be charming and witty and be more tortured when required. She would be a safe pair of hands for the role.
Samantha Barks
The Isle of Man’s Samantha Barks is often a fan favorite to play Elphaba, and she is my personal top choice for the role. Most audience members will know Barks for her role as Éponine in 2012’s Les Misérables, beating out singers like Lea Michele and Taylor Swift.
Barks first came to prominence in the UK when she competed in I’d Do Anything, a prime-time reality show where the winner was cast in a West End revival of Oliver! Barks was one of the favorites to win the show and one of her standout performances was “Defying Gravity” where she was mentored by Idina Menzel. It was a fantastic performance where Barks showcased her powerful voice. Please note she was only 17 at the time.
Barks also has performed in a number musicals, including UK and Ireland tours of Cabaret and Oliver!, the 25th Anniversary Concert for Les Misérables at The O2 Arena and a musical adaptation of Amélie at the Berkeley Repertory Theatre in California. Throughout her career Barks has shown herself to be a stellar singer and stage actress and could handle the big songs in Wicked. She has naturally dark hair and at 25 is the right age to play Elphaba as a college student and become the Wicked Witch of the West when she gets older within the story.
So far Barks’ film credits are sparse, besides Les Misérables her only other credit is the Christian movie The Christmas Candle. However she is set to appear in the British ensemble drama A Hundred Streets with Idris Elba and Gemma Arterton and the Canadian musical Strike!
Anna Kendrick
Anna Kendrick is one of the few actresses who could play either play Elphaba or Glinda – even Kristin Chenoweth said it when she was interviewed by Digital Spy. Kendrick is a popular actress, having more than five million twitter followers and starred in numerous movies like End of Watch, 50/50, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World and Up in the Air (which earned her an Oscar nomination).
Kendrick is also a very talented singer, she performed on Broadway and was nominated for a Tony Award for her role in High Society. Some of Kendrick biggest film roles have been in musicals, she leads the Pitch Perfect series, played Cinderella in Into the Woods, starred in The Last Five Years and her first film role was in the independent musical Camp.
Kendrick’s public persona is a bubbly and likable young woman, and she could easily portray the college-aged Elphaba as an idealistically, adorkable young woman who sees the horrible truth that affects the most vulnerable citizens of Oz. She could also have great chemistry with whoever plays her frenemy Glinda and playboy Fiyero, who is a lot deeper then he lets on. Kendrick is 30-years-old, but she looks a lot younger and could still play a college-aged character.
However Kendrick has a preference for starring in indie films than big studio movies and when speaking with The Wrap in 2014 she said she was done with musicals. However if Universal were able to convince Kendrick to star in another musical, she would be a great all-rounder as a singer and actress.
Lea Michele
Glee star Lea Michele is often seen as one of the frontrunners to play Elphaba, and there is a good reason- she is a proven singer on the stage and screen. Since starring as Rachel Berry on the Fox show, Michele gained a reputation for singing big numbers, in the pilot, she sang “On My Own” and afterward sang everything from big show numbers to pop songs. She is perfectly capable of belting out songs like “Defying Gravity” and “No Good Deals”.
Michele also has one very big advantages that none of the other actors have: Idina Menzel played her birth mother in Glee. Michele and Menzel do have a similar look and in Glee they performed a couple of duels in the first season.
Michele could easily handle the singing, but she has few other acting credits. Her biggest roles being in Scream Queens and New Year’s Eve. Michele also has a reputation for being a diva, which could lead to a disrupted set, especially if Michele has to work with big name actors. Plus diva is not a word to describe Elphaba.
Last but not least is Northern Irish singer/actress Rachel Tucker – an actress who played Elphaba on the West End and is now leading Wicked on Broadway. That alone gives Ms. Tucker a significant advantage over any other candidate – playing the character on two of the biggest theater scenes in the world. She has won a lot of praise for her performance in London and New York. She states on her Twitter page she paints herself green for a living.
Like Samantha Barks, Tucker came to prominence on I’d Do Anything, and although she did not win Tucker has had a very successful theater career, leading shows like We Will Rock You and The Last Ship. Tucker learned her craft at the Royal Academy of Music.
Although Tucker is not very well known to movie fans, theater actors have reprised their roles for film adaptations like Rent, Jersey Boys and The History Boys.
However, Tucker is the oldest candidate on this list, being 35-years-old. That’s perfectly fine for her to play the older version of Elphaba when she accepts the mantle of Wicked, but might be a stretch when she has to play college age Elphaba.
Entertainment Weekly posted a new photo of the Power Rangers, showing the updated look to the classic design of the original outfits. The movie will follow the exploits of the original line-up of the cherished children’s series, Jason, Zack, Trini, Billy and Kimberly, who battle Rita Repulsa and her minions trying to take over the world.
Credit: Saban Entertainment
Another element that influenced the Power Rangers’ design was the need to bring in those not familiar to the original series. Though it was widely popular in its initial run, spawning a virtual sub-market of toys, games, and clothing, it was not without a few flaws.
Credit: Saban Entertainment
A predictable story formula, G.I. Joe-style PSA’s and the occasional crossover of other Saban IP’s opened the franchise up to plenty of parodies and satires. With the reboot, the desire is to bring a more mature audience in order to branch out and make it accessible to those who never saw the series, or weren’t keen the style of the original.
One thing working to the design’s benefit is it is not entirely forgoing the classic feel to be hip and current. Like with other characters who underwent drastic changes to feel relevant (Superman, Batman, Captain America and Spiderman, to name a few), there is no issue with this. The Power Rangers are still the Power Ranger, but with better shine to them.
Considering the look and feel of the two previous attempts at putting the Power Rangers onto film, there is certain a unique and intriguing vibe with how these characters are being portrayed in this new version. It is hard to tell how exactly the characters will be taken, whether it’ll be in a manner similar to DC’s dark and gritty form, or Marvel’s lighter, occasionally tongue-in-cheek humor. Yet, it is clear that this version of the “teens with attitude” are going to a major change from their predecessors.
Personally, as a fan of the original series, I like the look. And though I wasn’t too keen on the movie when I first heard of the reboot, I have to say, this is piquing my interest.
Just weeks after Elizabeth Banks shows the world her look as Rita Repulsa, we now know what our heroes will look like in the Power Rangers reboot!
Gone are the days of spandex-outfits and we enter the age of robotics. Seemingly taking inspiration for Iron-Man’s mech suit, the new Ranger uniforms are very sleek. They are the perfect update from the classic look. While I personally enjoyed the campy look of Power Rangers past, this change makes total sense.
Compared to the originals, the new suits are a fancy new upgrade. I’m missing the iconic belts that were used before but those might appear when we get a better look of the Rangers in action. I hope they stay away from their energy source being in the center-front of their outfit as that seem too popular with these types of look.
All in all, the new Power Ranger outfits keep the hype for the film growing. After the shocking change from Rita’s classic look, I’m glad to see these stay somewhat true to form. How will these suits look in action? Will they make robot noises? So many question, so long until I get answers.
Are you excited for the Power Rangers movie coming in March 2017?
The film stars Becky G as Yellow Ranger Trini, Ludi Lin as Black Ranger Zack, Dacre Montgomery as Red Ranger Jason, Naomi Scott as Pink Ranger Kimberly, and RJ Cyler as Blue Ranger Billy.
Today Marvel Comics announced a new way to introduce new readers to Black Panther; a video series. The video is a blend of animated comics, commentary, and narration. The purpose is to bring T’Challa / Black Panther, who is going to be one of the breakout characters of Captain America: Civil War, to an audience that might not know anything about him.
The new comic series, written by Ta’Nehisi Coates and with art by Brian Stelfreeze was extremely well received in April and Marvel has decided it can help bolster interest in not only that series but the character through this series of hip hop inspired videos. “Black Panther #1 drove new fans into stores across the country, topping the sales charts and selling out in two days,” says Editor In Chief Axel Alonso. “This series of videos will direct even more eyes toward the most discussed comic book series – and character – of the year.”
The first video, Black Panther 101, is an introductory course for both new and old fans to take a look at the history of Black Panther, the country of Wakanda, and why he is so important to the history of Marvel Comics. Then, each month, a new Black Panther: A Nation Under Our Feet will be released with the issue of the Black Panther comic. The purpose of the videos will be education with motion graphics and “elevating hip-hop score from some of the world’s largest hip-hop acts.”
“After decades of great work done on Black Panther — everyone from Reginald Hudlin to Don McGregor to Christopher Priest — it really is an honor to be writing King T’Challa,” says Coates. “Add to that the masterful performance by Chadwick Boseman as the ruler of Wakanda and it really feels like this is Black Panther’s time.”
The videos are made by the production company Bow & Arrow and are an interesting way for Marvel to approach a character that is about to reach a whole new audience from Captain America: Civil War.
What do you think about this new video series from Marvel? Is it going to bring in new fans?
Quotes, video, and images provided by a press release from Marvel Comics.
Justice League vs. Teen Titans, the 25th entry in the DC Original Animated Features series, is a mixed bag, at best. It does a few fun and clever moments, mostly written around the adolescent Titans and how they relate to one another as well as a new member among their ranks.
However, the film suffers severe pacing issues that make it feel much longer than its 78 minute running time. It’s also fairly predictable story-wise, and the voice acting feels stiff and uninspired. Overall, it’s a rare disappointing entry in what has historically been a consistently entertaining series.
What’s it about?
During a Justice League battle against a Lex Luthor-led “Legion of Doom” (Cheetah, Solomon Grundy, Weather Wizard, and Toymaster), Robin/Damian Wayne (Stuart Allan) disobeys the orders of his father, Batman (Jason O’Mara) yet again.
Thinking his arrogant, headstrong son needs a lesson in teamwork, Bats send Damian west to Titans Tower, where Starfire/Koriand’r (Kari Wahlgren) works with this DC continuity’s Titans – Raven (Taissa Farmiga), Beast Boy/Garfield Logan (Brandon Soo Hoo), and Blue Beetle/Jaime Reyes (Jake T. Austin) – to hone and control their abilities.
Displaying the aristocratic attitude and air of superiority that he’s shown just about everyone since his introduction into the DCU, Damian wastes no time in starting trouble with his new “teammates.” Damian is surprised, however, to find a kindred spirit in Raven, who understands Damian’s origins and early tutelage under a monster all too well.
Just when Damian and the Titans begin to thaw toward one another, the monster from Raven’s past, her father, Trigon (Jon Bernthal), makes his play to take back both his wayward child and Earth. His weapons to do it are none other than the Justice League themselves, who fall prey to possession by Trigon’s demons.
So all the Titans have to do is defeat their mentors, the world’s most powerful heroes, save the world from a powerful demon, and make sure that demon can never harm one of their own ever again. No problem, right?
Not exactly “original”
Yes, Justice League vs. Teen Titans differs from some of the DC Original Animated films in that it doesn’t draw inspiration from or adapt any one particular printed DC Comics story arc. If anything, it does take elements from the 1984 “New Teen Titans” arc “Terror of Trigon” by Marv Wolfman and George Pérez.
On some occasions in the series, most notably Justice League: Gods and Monsters and Batman: Assault on Arkham, exploring wholly original story arcs has turned out well, giving audiences fresh and edgy takes on familiar characters and concepts.
However, with this release, there’s precious little that’s either “fresh” or “edgy.” In fact, the only new element to be found in Justice League vs. Teen Titans is actually a rather unwelcome one: the use of a “good times montage” set to a pop song soundtrack. The trope may be more appropriate here than it ever has been before, considering the youth of the film’s main characters, but it still feels forced and lazy.
The rest of the film is, as stated earlier, predictable fare. The inclusion of the League screams “marketing” – Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman, Cyborg and Flash (No GL and Shazam in this release) actually come off as a rather unimaginative and ineffectual team, easily falling prey to Trigon and then utterly failing to even slow the demon down once freed from his grip to fight him. But this is by design – how else could the Titans save the day and the new Robin find his place on the team?
Remarkably poor voice acting, pacing
The film’s second act (which contains both the unwelcome montage and a video game dance-off scene – not kidding) drags terribly, contributing to Justice League vs. Teen Titans feeling much longer than its one hour and 18 minute run time. In the scripting process, perhaps it seemed necessary, considering all the new characters introduced and interpersonal dynamics established.
But in execution, it all falls flat, due in part by a lack of energy and inspiration in the voice cast. Noticeably absent from this release is acclaimed voice acting director Andrea Romano, who has directed the voice casts in the more memorable and successful DC animated series and features. It makes much more sense that the lack of zip and dramatic timing in the delivery of dialogue in Justice League vs. Teen Titans is due to her absence rather than any shortfall of talent in the cast itself.
Worth seeing?
Justice League vs. Teen Titans is worth a rental, at best, unless you’re a completist and have been collecting all these releases from the start. In that case, buy it in the gift set edition with the collectible figure (Damian Wayne), watch it once, then put it on the shelf and let it collect dust.
When you do watch it, however, be sure to watch for the mid-credits scene, which has become a staple of these releases almost as much as it has in Marvel’s live-action films. Old time Teen Titans fans will certainly enjoy it, and it holds some promise for a better Titans feature release in the future.
Justice League vs. Teen Titans
Starring the voices of Jon Bernthal, Taissa Farmiga, Jason O’Mara, Sean Maher, Rosario Dawson, Jerry O’Connell, Christopher Gorham, Stuart Allan. Directed by Sam Liu.
Running Time: 78 minutes
Rated PG – 13 for fantasy action violence and some suggestive images.
LEGO celebrated May the Fourth (aka Star WarsDay) by dropping a new trailer for LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens that promises to “go beyond the movie”. The new game will feature several all-new, exclusive Star Wars stories just for this game.
The new adventures include:
Rathtar Hunting
Lor San Tekka’s Return
Poe to the Rescue
Crimson Corsair
Trouble Over Taul
Ottegan Assault
Previous LEGO Star Wars games have pretty much followed the movie scripts and that was great. But in recent years LEGO has created all new adventures for the DC and the Marvel Universes, so it only seems natural to combine source and original content into one game.
The best move LEGO made with its games over the past decade was adding dialogue. It gets even better with this game because the it’s the actual cast from the movie providing the voices. That means more Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, and of course Harrison Ford.
I’ve played and enjoyed pretty much every LEGO video game made so far (with the exception of Harry Potter, that one was awful). The best part about these games is that they are fun for the whole family. You don’t have to be a video game wizard to be able to play. My 6-year-old loved this movie and loves the LEGO games so this game will be a big hit in my house.
LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens is available now for pre-order and will be available everywhere June 28.
The new trailer for the new shark thriller The Shallows starring a bikini-clad Blake Lively hit the internet today and it falls a little closer to Sharknado thanJaws.
It starts out fairly strong with shots of Nancy (Blake Lively) surfing in a place she describes as “taking forever to find, but perfect”. Sure, there are a couple of creepers that want her attention, but otherwise, this does indeed look like the picture of paradise.
But we all know it’s not paradise, and the trailer makers know we know. Using some creative editing they create a slow build up here for the first shark attack that is reminiscent of Jaws. The best example is the moment where you get a point-of-view shot approaching Lively’s surfboard and just when think the shark is about to chomp down on her… it cuts to her chomping down on an apple.
Even the scene where Lively finally gets attacked helps build the suspense because while we see her struggle and her eventual wounds, we don’t see the shark.
And then we see the shark…
…in all it’s CGI silliness. At least he took care of the creepers. If this is the only silly appearance of the shark in The Shallows it’s forgivable and probably even necessary, but why include this particular scene in the trailer? The GoPro wearing surfer being dragged under, the fins sticking out of the water, the overhead shot of the shark circling all while Lively is trapped hundreds of yards off shore would have and should have been enough to create the suspense this trailer is trying to build.
What made Jaws so brilliant (at least partially thanks to a faulty mechanical shark) was it proved what Steven Spielberg himself said that, “it’s what we don’t see which is truly frightening.” If Jaws would have featured the cross-eyed mechanical shark, the movie would have been laughable. It’s a lesson this trailer seemed to be following until it wasn’t.
The tagline for this movie is “not just another day at the beach” and even though the trailer started out well by the end it sure feels like just another killer shark movie with nothing original to speak of… not even a tornado.
