One of the toughest gaming franchises in the late 80s was Shinobi. It appears the master ninja is back, and going to kick our ass on the big screen.
Producer Marc Platt has partnered with Sega to develop a film franchise based on the video game, according to Deadline.
“We love the Shinobi games and believe that the world of ninjas has never been properly explored onscreen. We now have the opportunity to do just that. With Shinobi, we hope to make a film that honors the essence of the games,” said Platt.
No production timeline or casting was announced. MFR will bring you more details as they become available.
After the intense battle of the previous episode this one feels much slower. It’s not bad just a major shift in tone. The backstories of The Nijimura brothers are laid and the reason why Keicho thought the best course of action to deal with a personal problem was to use the magical bow and arrow to hopefully find a powerful Stand who could fix his problems. Unfortunately, superpowers never fix problems the way people hope they will.
It’s revealed the Nijimura brothers are tied to Dio who is revealed to have planned far ahead more than anyone originally thought. With a history of brutal methods and a possessing a wide network of connections and resources, it’s easy to see why many see Dio as one of the greatest villains in anime. Also, a new Stand appears (with a distinct musical reference) named Red Hot Chili Pepper who posses incredible electrical abilities. Whoever the Stand belongs to may be the one actually pulling the strings from here on in the series.
This season is starting to feel more bottled than previous ones. Instead of eventually expanding out and journeying to all the different corners of the world as the cast battles the forces of Dio or the pillar men, it’s starting to look like the entire season will be set in town of Morioh. It will be interesting to see how the events will keep them in the town and how the tension will ramp up from here. For now though, Josuke and Jotaro will get help from Koichi and Okuyasu to fight against the owner of Red Hot Chili Pepper.
Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure: Diamond is Unbreakable is streaming on Crunchyroll.
At this point, Garry Marshall has become a parody of himself.
His latest bloated attempt at pulling on our heart strings, Mother’s Day, is a film that shouldn’t have been allowed within a five-mile radius of any theater in the United States. As predictable as Garry Marshall movies are (who could forget Valentine’s Day in 2010 and New Year’s Eve in 2011?), nothing could prepare me for the tepid, ridiculously predictable, outdated garbage that is Mother’s Day.
One positive that can’t be dismissed is the quality of the cast. Julia Roberts, Jennifer Aniston, Timothy Olyphant, Kate Hudson, Sarah Chalke, Aasif Mandvi, and some “Garry Marshall regulars” indeed present the appearance of a strong cast. However, not even the strongest of casts could have done anything with these vaguely constructed characters.
Now for those who are wondering about the plot of this film, if you’ve seen the trailer then you know the film’s entire plot (I wish I were Joking). Jennifer Aniston is Sandy, a divorced mom of two boys who’s holding it together but secretly wants to get back with her devilishly handsome ex-husband, Henry (Timothy Olyphant). Apparently Henry didn’t get the memo because he announces to Sandy that he recently eloped with his twenty-year-old girlfriend Tina (gee, I wonder if that will cause some faux friction). Of course, it wouldn’t be a Gary Marshall film if the plot were not intertwined and such is the case with this movie as well.
Sandy decides to call her best friend Jesse (Kate Hudson) to fill her on what’s occurred. What Sandy doesn’t know is that Jesse has the drama of her own. Jesse is married to an Indian doctor named Russell ( Aasif Mandvi), and they have a toddler son. She has, however, choose not to let her parents know about all of this because her parents Earl and Flo (Robert Pine and Margo Martindale) are both racists (I know, earth shattering news). Jesse, of course, hasn’t been honest about what’s been going on, as she’s told her husband that her parents are not in the picture and are mentally unstable.
Her sister (played by Sarah Chalke) is trying to reunite Jesse with her mother after a falling out over dating Indian men, but we come to find that her sister has a secret, she’s a lesbian (married with an adoptive son). Her rationale for not telling her parents is that they are equally as homophobic as they are racist (WOW! Didn’t see this coming).
So what we have so far are just a stew of lies and predictable, mundane storylines. Some may argue that the film is not predictable because it has no storyline involving a recently passed mother.
Enter Jason Sudeikis.
Jason Sudeikis plays a widower and father of two daughters who are still clinging to the memory of his wife who died a military hero. Of course, Sudeikis plays that active dad trying to adjust to this new role but secretly stays up watching videotapes of his recently deceased wife.
Some might be holding out hope that Mr. Marshall at least avoided doing his stereotypical mother full of regret storyline.
Enter Julia Roberts.
Julia Roberts plays Miranda, a career-driven woman who of course like everyone in this movie has a past. Britt Robertson is Kristin (AKA Miranda’s Past/Miranda’s daughter) who now herself has a daughter and is trying to decide if she is ready to marry the father of her child (Gee I wonder if somehow if Kristin and Miranda will reconnect).
This film certainly has all the trademark elements of previous Garry Marshall movies, mainly because he directly ripped from all of them. However, what caught my eye is how he handled the costuming in this movie. According to People Magazine, the wig that Julia Roberts uses in the film Mother’s Day is the same wig that she used in the film Notting Hill. Is Garry Marshall now recycling costume elements as well? Is nothing original in this film? This tripe is so full of “mail it in” performance that this film has all the qualities of a direct to DVD release ( which is what should have occurred to begin with).
If you love your mother, do her a favor and don’t subject her to Mother’s Day.
It’s been a couple of weeks since my last beer review so I’m indulging myself this week by reviewing one of the hoppiest beers I’ve yet to enjoy, Amsterdam Brewing Company‘s Boneshaker Unfiltered IPA. Don’t let the brewery’s name fool you. Amsterdam Brewing Company is actually located on the waterfront in Toronto, Ontario, their website boasting that it was the first craft brewery of its kind in the city. This thirty-year veteran of the Toronto craft brewing scene is known for its Downtown Brown, which has won more than one Ontario Brewing Award, but is also well liked by those who love a good pale ale. On top of Boneshaker Unfiltered IPA, Amsterdam has also released their “All Day Pale Ale” Cruiser, a lighter and less hop-forward pale ale, and their ridiculously strong Fracture Imperial Pale Ale, weighing in at 9% ABV. Enough about the brewery, though, on with the tasting!
Boneshaker Unfiltered IPA – First Sip
Boneshaker Unfiltered IPA’s relatively high level of carbonation and its intensely bitter flavour give it a unique mouth-feel, smooth but lingering. I smell sour apples as I take a big gulp of it, although I know other reviewers frequently comment on its piney aroma. Boneshaker Unfiltered IPA has the notes of citrus and the barely noticeable malt presence typical of most IPA’s but it is its level of mouth-watering hoppiness that sets this beer apart from others, putting it on par with other strong IPA’s like Flying Monkeys Smashbomb Atomic IPA, only stronger … !
Boneshaker Unfiltered IPA – Last Sip
What a terrible movie! And then they gave him the keys to the kingdom! Sorry, this is my 3rd Boneshaker (hic!)
As with most unfiltered beers, Boneshaker Unfiltered IPA is so cloudy I can’t see my hand on the other side of the glass as I drink it. Not to be a nag, but I suggest pouring this masterpiece of craft brewing into a glass before taking your first mouth-puckering draught. And, weighing in as the strongest beer I’ve reviewed so far (I think) at 7.1% ABV, one or two of these potent brews is generally enough to get me embroiled in conversations I’d be better off avoiding …
The calm before the storm of ‘Captain America: Civil War’ takes the shape of an adorable kitten named Keanu. Also, HBO tries to dampen our spirits with the body of Jon Snow.
EJ and Matt review ‘Keanu’ opening up this week, reflect on the first episode of Season Six of ‘Game of Thrones,’ and they gauge their expectations for ‘Captain America: Civil War’ opening next week.
Do you have a question that you would like answered during the show?
Email your questions to matt@popaxiom.com.
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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 a 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.
Mumei and Ikoma are confronted by the military and forced to stay in the back of the train until they get to Kongokaku. Mumei starts Ikoma’s training so she can use him as a shield when she fights. They stop in their route to Kongokaku to fix a water tank and pay their respects for the dead. Ikoma tells Mumie the story of his sisters death. A small gang rallies together to try and kill Ikoma and Mumie but the Ayame stops them, and tests mumie’s and Ikoma’s loyalty. Mumie goes out to have fun only to ask people for some blood to eat. This conversations interrupted by a pregnant kabane that Mumei kills. Ikoma similar needs blood but goes out of control and attacks Ayame in the rail car.
Review
Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress is still at eleven. Which is surprising to see. I though for sure that they would slow it down after getting on the train. Sure the events aren’t all that intense but the way they are presented still keep with the shows tone and pacing style that even some conversations can be jazzed up with a punch and a kick now and there. This formula works and I found myself wondering where the time went more than the last two episodes.
Some of the reasons why this episode went so fast for me is the sheer amount of things being said, and the importance of those things. Kabaneri of the Iron fortress really knows how to make a seemingly mundane scene like, giving out food rations, and making it engaging. At the same time building future plot points and giving us more character growth. Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress is tying everything together so that the viewer won’t lose their high that they gained from the first two episodes. Which is a difficult task. None the less, they’re nailing it.
Of course the high tension still doesn’t seem like its something being forced. Everyone is rightfully on edge with these Kabaneri on board. Thus dealing with this unknown threat is plenty to keep the blood boiling in the passengers as well as the guards. Plus Mumie continuously beating the shit out of Ikoma helps keep the action quota up. All I’m gonna say is that it must hurt like a bitch, hitting the steel floor so much. But I guess thats how she’s gone toughen him up.
Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress always has its breathing room where we can unclench our fists. This episode that breath is some deep and interesting back story for Ikoma. It really solidifies his character and where his resolve comes from and where his growth may lead him. His hatred for running away and his weakness is understandable and relatable. It shows that he is still trying to fight with the vow he had made that day. In his eyes he still isn’t strong enough. When he will be, we don’t know. I don’t even think Ikoma knows. Mumie hints at a similar scenario but we don’t get to hear her story. I assume her brother is still alive and is going to be crucial in the plot. I’d like it to show up earlier than later, and not be some cheap reveal near the end.
As for the Zombie/vampire hybrid, I could go either way on that idea. It ultimately depends on how important it is to the story and how everyone else reacts to it. I don’t wanna say it feels like cheap tension without knowing the purpose of it thematically. But i’ve been burned by a similar concept before *cough cough* Valvrave the Liberator. Even if its just another way to raise the “metalness” of this show, that’ll be fine too.
So far everything is going smoothly for Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress. The characters that its focusing on are just enough to keep me invested in this steampunk zombie story, with promise for future bad-asses to take the spotlight. The only thing I didnt understand about this episode is how Ayame could be everywhere all the time. I mean she shows up out of nowhere all the time. Must not be a big train or something. Either way, if there are problems with Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress, they’re so small and insignificant, or I’m having too much fun to notice. Nothing glaring yet but there still is a whole load of track to ride on this zombie train.
The Marvel character Dazzler is a mutant who can convert sound vibrations into light and energy beams. Although she had a brief solo series, Dazzler has never been adapted into a live-action medium. Yet that might change with the upcoming movie X-Men: Apocalypse.
In a new still from the film, Scott Summers (Tye Sheridan) and Jean Grey (Sophie Turner) are hanging out at a record store. Scott is holding up an album cover with Dazzler’s image. The cover reads “Dazzler: Sounds of Light and Fury.” Turner posted the image on her Instagram account, writing #FlashbackFriday to that time Cyclops and I went shopping at the mall and found our favorite singer’s album (pre 1989, of course).
Ironically, Marvel Comics created Dazzler with the intention of launching a multimedia franchise with Casablanca Records. In the early 1980s, there were plans to adapt the character into a feature film starring Bo Derek, but the project fell through and never got made. Whether she will appear in the movie remains to be seen, but it is a nice Easter egg for X-Men fans. At least the character does exist in the Fox Marvel X-Verse. Since the film is set in 1983, it would be appropriate.
In 2013, director Bryan Singer’s Twitter page hinted at casting singer Lady Gaga as Dazzler in X-Men: Days of Future Past. However, this was revealed to be an April Fools’ Day joke . Last year, it was alleged that Taylor Swift would appear as Dazzler in a cameo for X-Men: Apocalypse, but producer Simon Kinberg said it was not true.
X-Men: Apocalypse will be released in theatres on May 27, 2016.
Is it true that Dazzler might be appearing in the new X-Men movie?
Marvel’s ‘The Punisher’ starring Jon Bernthal will get its own Netflix series, according to a report by Entertainment Weekly.
Netflix and Marvel are expected to make an announce later Friday. The report also states that writer and executive producer Steve Lightfoot will serve as showrunner.
Marvel’s ‘The Punisher’ will be Netflix’s sixth Marvel Cinematic Universe series.
EW also had the first teaser image for the new series:
There comes a moment in ‘Join or Die’ when I understood the writers of The 100 are constantly swimming against the current when trying to propel its story and characters forward. In this episode, we’re treated to a flashback where a portion of our initial hundred are being given a lesson in Earth Survival by Pike just before they’re shipped to Earth to fend for themselves. In execution, it’s a ham-fisted course-correction where we receive vital information about a season and a half too late with information that’s all-too-convenient given our characters’ current circumstances. On the page, it feels like a necessary course-correction in order to get the audience back on the side of these people, yet still not giving us an easy way out. For the wayward direction of most of season three, ‘Join or Die’ is a welcome attempt at trying to guide this crash landing.
I think it’s been painfully obvious for a while that Pike as an antagonist would eventually take a backseat to the awful City of Light. The manner of that shift is clunky but is also interesting in that it sees all of the people on the ground, Skaikru and Grounder alike, being united against something that is trying to ruin them all. The inclusion of Pike’s minor history in having taught these kids how to survive on earth is most definitely shoe-horned into the plot but feels like an earnest attempt at reconciling these two factions. And it could not have worked if Pike had been treated as a total innocent in this flashback either.
In these scenes, we get to see Pike afraid at what might befall the kids sitting in front of him but also flipping on a dime when a rogue Murphy gives him lip about survival and his disregard for all things establishment and common sense. Pike ends up kicking the ever-loving shit out of Murphy to prove his point that not everyone will survive the surface because bad things will happen. In what could have been a treacly scene, turns into something that reaffirms what we know about both these characters while providing new depth to them. It isn’t well placed but it is good writing.
The placement sucks because it comes just as Pike meets Murphy for the first time on the surface. Pike has just been chained with the rest of the non-conformists in Polis (seriously though, why don’t they just kill anyone they don’t actually need. A.L.I.E. makes it known who’s important to her and she could definitely do without a horde of potential people uprising by holding them in a cell.) and sees Murphy also chained on the floor. We aren’t given any importance to this meeting before this episode and are expected to give a damn why these two are now together. This moment ends up mostly working because of the excellent writing in the flashback and because we understand Murphy’s character deeply at this point. When he “saves” Pike from being killed by Indra, it makes logical sense as well as having the caveat that Murphy has now just washed his hands of this man who would have killed him in a heartbeat not so long ago.
Speaking of Indra, I miss Idina Porter on this show. Whenever she and Henry Ian Cusick show up, The 100 instantly raises transcends a few classes.
Speaking of Henry Ian Cusick, I think his eventual crucifixion might be the most intense scene we’ve seen in The 100. Up until this moment, which happens about halfway through, I was completely underwhelmed by the episode. Kane’s torture comes as the result of him not willing to succumb to Abbey’s advances as A.L.I.E. controls her to collect information. This coupled with the cold nature which they treat each other in the flashback epitomize the tough love that has grown between the two characters. When Kane has to choose between taking the pill and letting Abbey be killed, it is truly a moment when we don’t know what he will choose. Cusick’s work is so strong that we want him to be a true believer but also don’t want him to give up on Abbey.
Elsewhere, Clarke, Bellamy, Octavia and Jasper try to follow Lincoln’s cryptic yet conveniently clear notes on how to find Luna, the last Nightblood able to become the rightful Heda and destroy A.L.I.E. 2.0. It’s strange to see Clarke take such a backseat this season as she finally comes to a point when she should be at her strongest. She’s free of almost every political tie yet just walks around, reacting to every event instead of attempting to take charge. This group, containing essentially every character we care most for, is handed the short stick in the episode and is beholden to the most plot. The reveal of Luna’s posse is cool with their water-inspired gear and weaponry but the treatment of these people is rushed to say the least.
When Clarke and Co. willingly take a sleeping potion (Jaspers’ reaction to Clarke’s passing-out after he drinks the swill is priceless) and end up in a secluded room, we finally meet the enigma that is Luna, complete with frizzily perfect hair and come-get-me good looks. The most baffling move of the episode happens when Clarke immediately propositions Luna with the AI that would give her control of A.L.I.E. 2.0 and ascend her to the throne of the Grounders. Why would Clarke ever do this without some sort of explanation? Luna couldn’t possibly understand any of Clarke’s reasoning here. Let me put it this way: want to try to propose to someone on the first date? If you answer yes, you’re an insane person. Clarke is an insane person here.
Nonetheless, we’re shown that Clarke and Co. are way off the grid on an abandoned oil rig somewhere in the ocean.
So, ‘Join or Die’ proved to be a wayward step in the right direction. It’s an episode that had its heart in the right place, even if it didn’t follow-through in all of the execution.
Three episodes left. Let’s hope this season can be salvaged.
P.S. A full point is subtracted for the use of Imagine Dragons’ “Radioactive”. I get the full circle thing. Still, we don’t need a reminder of the dark days of The 100‘s pilot.
“Everything I learned, I learned on the ground.” – Murphy
Check out my reviews of previous episodes of ‘The 100’ here:
Many times in life we quote dialog from a film without ever really knowing where it originated. The line, “I coulda been a contender” came from On the Watefront but many people might assume it’s from another movie featuring boxing such as Rocky or Raging Bull. No, the quote did indeed come from this film, a story not about boxing but about a man who coulda been more, but instead must weigh the heavy choices life has given him.
Terry (Marlon Brando) is a dockworker who gets all the cushy jobs because his brother Charlie (Rob Steiger) works beside the Union Leader Johnny Friendly (Lee J. Cobb). Terry unwittingly helps to set up a fellow dockworker named Joey (Ben Wager) to be killed. Afterward, he starts to bond with Joey’s sister, Edie (Eva Marie Saint). As Edie starts to work with a priest named Father Barry (Karl Malden) to try and get better representation of the dockworkers Terry starts to wonder what is right, where his loyalties lie, and if he shouldn’t come forward with the information he has about Joey’s death.
The actors absolutely shine here. The entire cast delivers an incredible performance, portraying characters with a stake in what’s happening in the world around them. Brando’s portrayal of a man who just trying to make a living but keeps being reminded of his greatness starts slow but grows steadily. Cobb displays power and authority with every scene he is in, embodying the look and feel of what someone with ruthless power would look like. Malden’s performance as the priest who knows he needs to truly serve his people by getting into the thick of it and leaving the safety of his church is truly moving. Saint’s work as Edie as she tries to find the truth behind her brother’s death while helping her father and the others get the fair treatment they deserve shines and even makes you wonder if she isn’t too good for Terry.
The story of a man dealing with the weight of his conscious is the drive of the picture, and a very personal theme for director Elia Kazan. Terry struggles, torn between his loyalties for Friendly and his brother and wanting to tell the truth about Joey’s murder, to what he can ultimately provide for Edie. Charlie doesn’t want anything bad to happen to Terry as the Union members notice him grow closer to Edie and Father Barry and fear Terry may go to the crime commission with what he knows.This leads to the infamous scene between the two of them where the classic “I coulda been a contender” line is uttered. Charlie is trying to remind Terry of all the good his influence has done for him, but Terry is quick to remind him how he sacrificed his boxing career by taking dives when he was told to do so. The quote resonates as it talks about the success he could have had and the bitter reality he is now faced with because of the decisions he made to help those he cared about.
The film also focuses on the hardships stemming from bucking the system and standing up to corruption, and how hard the road can be. Later in film, after Terry makes a decision on what is best, he’s shunned for his efforts. His friends no longer wish to associate with him and he is even scorned by a youth who looked up to him. Despite his choices, Terry knows he cannot run away from his problems and instead heads to work the next day, just as always, knowing those in power hold all the cards. It is a bitter sight to see, but shows the fortitude a person can have when they can’t stand for being pushed around anymore. On the Waterfront reminds us of a lesson many forget in this new era of movie making; It takes heart and soul. Good actors willing to give the best performance possible and deliver a product which will truly stay with someone and make them feel for the characters on screen and the struggles they endure. This movie was showered with praise and awards for the work which went into it and earned every bit of this reception.
This film was presented as part of TCM: Big Screen Classics showings through Fathom Events. It was presented in its original aspect ratio and in the original black and white format.
