In 2012, ‘Snow White and the Huntsman’ didn’t necessarily wow the critics and blow up the box office. The Rotten Tomatoes score was a 48%, and the film made $155 million domestically on a $170 million production budget.
Fast forward to 2016, Matt and EJ are trying to make it through ‘The Huntsman: Winter’s War’ a forced sequel that didn’t need to be made. The podcast duo was feeling optimistic after an exceptional episode of ‘Fear the Walking Dead.’
Listen to all our thoughts on ‘Fear the Walking Dead,’ ‘The Huntsman: Winter’s War,’ season six of ‘Game of Thrones,’ and the big budget ‘Power Rangers’ film in the podcast below.
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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.
The Huntsman: Winter’s War (in theaters this weekend) reminds me of the video for the song “Why” by Annie Lennox. Both are visually appealing as well as extremely aggravating.
This film is both a sequel and a prequel to Snow White and the Huntsman, beginning before Snow White destroyed Ravenna (Charlize Theron) and continued after Snow White’s victory. If anyone is perplexed as to why this film was even made to begin with, Snow White And The Huntsman brought in 396.6 million worldwide (Don’t worry I was shocked as well). So why cut out Snow White from the sequel? Well, Kristen Stewart was discovered having an affair with the film’sdirector Rupert Sanders and the beefy Chris Hemsworth is more than capable of carrying a film. So goodbye Snow White and hello Sara (played by Jessica Chastain) and Freya (played by Emily Blunt).
The Huntsman: Winter’s War is a story developed by Evan Daugherty. To date, his biggest credits have been writing Divergent, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and Snow White And The Huntsman. So it came as no surprise to me when the film was chock full of laughable dialogue and formulaic plots (just look at his body of work). His attempts at originality are nothing more than direct imitations from films such as Brave, Frozen, and Marvel’s Thor (at least we know what movies he must have recently watched).
Cedric Nicholas-Troyan (who sounds like a character in Game Of Thrones) takes over the director’s chair from Rupert Sanders and doesn’t learn from the mistakes of his predecessor. Instead of concentrating his efforts on developing a stronger plot, he opts to add more glitz and eye-popping visuals to the film. This movie may look great, but even dog poop can look presentable in the right light.
As for the plot, it begins by telling the story of Queen Ravenna’s (Charlize Theron who seems to be in this film just for the paycheck) and her rise to power. We learn of her sister Freya, who after experiencing tragedy in her life, now has Elsa-like powers from Frozen (Hence the title Winter’s War). Freya is hating life so she decides that if she can’t be happy, then no-one can. She decides that they will conquer all of these towns and kingdoms and kidnap the children so that she can groom them into her Huntsmen. Fast forward a few years and now we see what looks and sounds like Merida from Brave (she’s even good with a bow and arrow) but in reality it’s just Jessica Chastain running through the motions as Sara, the lone female Huntsman. She immediately catches the eye of a dashing of Eric (Hemsworth), and they are immediately drawn to another. Fast forward a bit more and long story short, Freya wants her sister’s magic mirror from the first movie so that she can be invisible. Of course, Eric and Sara have other plans for that mirror.
This film is littered with CGI creatures that appear to be goblins but look like a roided up Jar Jar Binks after he experienced third-degree burns. Nick Frost and Rob Brydon return as Eric’s dwarf sidekick but truthfully they seemed in the way for most of the movie.
It’s extremely aggravating that we have to endure these types of films. There’s truthfully no real reason for this film to have ever been made to start with, let alone released to the general public. The Huntsman: Winter’s War fails on every level. The story is ridiculous. The actors seem to be just going through the motions on screen. Visually, this film is okay, but not let me pay to see this in the theaters okay. Our only hope is that the general public gets with the program and fails to support the abomination in filmmaking so that we don’t have to sit through another one of these films.
While it is admirable when an actor tries to push himself by taking on a different type of role, the results are often mixed. Tom Hanks certainly is attempting to push himself by taking on the role of Alan Clay (a depressed IT Salesman who’s going through a midlife crisis). However, when an actor is far too established as an upbeat leading man, everything else comes off as less than believable. Such is the case with A Hologram For The King (in theaters this weekend).
Alan Clay is relatively new in the world of technological sales. He originally worked for Schwinn as an executive but left shortly after being involved in a decision to outsource jobs that still haunts him daily. Alan went through a horrendous divorce; his daughter does not talk to him, he cannot afford to pay for her college, and seems to have some growth on his back (you can see why he is depressed). Clay is hoping that securing this deal in Saudia Arabia to help him out of this malaise.
Much of the movie is shaped around Alan’s repetitive routine. Alan’s starts his morning off by showering and ends his day (after working) by feeling sorry for himself. This is much of what transpires in this film (yes, I agree … very odd). Alan’s depression seeps even into his love life as he turns away the advances of a very attractive Danish woman because he does not feel worthy (yes, I agree … very strange).
It all changes while on a business trip to Saudi Arabia, his back takes a turn for the worse, and he falls for his physician Zahara (Sarita Choudhury). If Twyker had taken the film in the direction of Alan having to deal with cultural barriers as he pursued Zahara, this movie could have been so much better than it was. Instead, years of tradition were simply ignored, and Zahara and Alan got together. Never mind that women in Saudia Arabia are not allowed just simply to drive wherever they want, in this universe, it is apparently acceptable. The lack of a “struggle” to get the girl of his dreams detracted from the chemistry in the film. Their “love affair” comes across as an act of convenience and nothing more.
This movie is a prime example of how not every film should be adapted for the big screen. While Tom Twyker certainly gives it his best shot to adapt the Dave Eggers novel, the source material presents an insurmountable issue. A Hologram For The King is a novel that is rife with many small subplots in it all centering around Alan Clay. In a novel that is okay, but in a film that’s a recipe for disaster. If you adapt directly from the source material (which is what they did), the result is a bunch of stories all going in different directions (basically a meandering mess).
No one can fault Tom Hanks for taking a chance on this type of role. However, there’s a vast difference between taking a chance and succeeding, and his performance is far from a success.
This week’s episode of Agents of SHIELD made some changes to the show’s formula. The audience saw the Secret Warriors in action. We also saw the foretold death of Gideon Malick and watched one of the Inhuman members of the team turn traitor. So, hold on to your licensed Marvel headgear: the recap of “The Team” cometh …
“The Team” – The Recap
This episode started off with a few bangs as the assembled Secret Warriors worked together to rescue the majority of SHIELD and the Bus from a HYDRA air hangar, Giyera having hi-jacked it with personnel aboard at the end of last week’s episode. The audience gets treated to a glimpse of what it looks like when each member of the Secret Warriors Initiative uses their powers, and soon they have rescued their personnel and the Bus. Lincoln captures Malick during the rescue and Guttierez kills Lucio. During Lucio’s autopsy, though, Simmons claims that he’s not totally dead. Simmons eventually determines that the biological processes she’s observed are a result of a contamination of foreign genetic material.
Coulson, meanwhile, interrogates Malick. Malick is surprisingly forthcoming but talks mostly of his daughter’s death. His interrogation does bring up some useful intel though. Aside from Malick’s mention of what is, as far as I can tell, the first ever use of the name “Hive” on the show to describe Grant Ward’s new personality, Malick also tells Coulson that Hive can hypnotize Inhumans, bending their wills entirely to his. Simmons backs up Malick’s story: she determines that the foreign genetic material inside Lucio’s brain is a remnant of Hive and was responsible for Lucio’s slave-like obedience to the HYDRA god. Simmons suggests that Hive could effect the same results in any Inhuman. With a full complement of Inhumans assembled at SHIELD HQ, Coulson becomes concerned that his team may have been compromised. He puts HQ on lock-down and works to determine who’s switched sides.
Malick is found dead in his cell. An autopsy proves impossible because someone has used a grenade to incinerate his corpse. Mac suspects Yo-yo, having previously shown her where they stored the type of grenade that was used to incinerate Malick, describing them as lethal.
A now draconian Phil Coulson demands that all Inhuman team members’ possessions be examined in an effort to find any lead on the identity of the mole. The search reveals that Lincoln has the Kree Orb that he and Daisy confiscated from James. Suspicions increase when Lincoln denies any knowledge of having had the artifact.
In a remarkably poor bit of police work for the world’s foremost spy organization, Lincoln is put in an isolation cell and the rest of the Inhumans are released. Later that night, though, Daisy shows up outside of Lincoln’s cell and offers to break him out. Daisy explains that she was wrong all along: Hive is actually a really cool guy once you get to know him! Daisy describes how she murdered Malick and framed Lincoln in order to cover her tracks. Speaking like a true cultist, Daisy reminds Lincoln of their conversation concerning their shared feeling of spiritual emptiness and promises an end to this feeling should he bond with Hive.
In refusing to leave with Daisy, Lincoln proved, I would hope once and for all, that he’s not a traitor. He may have regretted his decision not to leave his cell, though, when Daisy quite literally brought the house down as she made her exit from SHIELD HQ with the Kree Orb and as many terrigen crystals as she could carry.
“The Team” – My Critique
“The Team” suffered from the same problem as many previous episodes of Agents of SHIELD. Although there were some interesting ideas here, the execution was a bit poor.
I didn’t realize that Daisy was the mole until the big reveal at the end of the episode but I was pretty certain throughout that the mole was neither Guttierez nor Rodriguez. And, since Lincoln is still a relatively unproven new recruit, I figured that it wasn’t likely to be him either. In order to get the most drama out of a team member’s betrayal, the traitor has to be someone the audience has a longstanding connection to. So, the red herrings, including Yo-yo and Mac’s discussion about the grenades, came off as just what they were, obvious red herrings which served to make me less rather than more suspicious of the suspects involved in them.
Also, only seeing Daisy murder Malick in a flashback took away from the drama of his death. Because Gideon Malick has been the closest thing the audience has seen to a real villain on the show–including Ward/Hive–, it was anti-climactic to kill him like this, making him seem like a peripheral character rather than the man who, up until then, had been pulling the strings.
Fitz, you’re being creepy again.
One other bit that made the eyes roll in this episode was the latest incarnation of the ongoing will they/won’t they struggle of Fitz and Simmons’s relationship. I feel like this is the third or fourth time they’ve said that life is too short and that they should give ‘er a go. Unfortunately, whenever it feels like they’ve made the decision to engage in coital activity, something intervenes and the two erstwhile nerd-lovers are pulled apart. In this most recent endeavour to be the nerdiest couple on TV, the two were prevented by a cave in after just a bit of kissing. If I have to hear Fitz and Simmons discuss the future of their relationship one more time, it had better be the morning after.
Last year DC Comics started a new program titled, DC Talent Development Workshop, to train new artists into the company to maintain a competitive edge within the industry. Following the results of last year’s workshop, DC will be holding both an artist and writer’s workshop to build on what might be the newest method of cultivating new talent into the industry. This will focus on the DC Writer’s Workshop, since this is the newer of the two programs.
On DC’s news page, DC’s Co-Publisher, Jim Lee, said “Our goal is to identify and foster fresh, new voices, the new DC Talent Development Workshops will play a vital role in discovering and developing the next generation of comic talent.”
Credit: DC Comics
Among those who teaching these seminars include big names in DC’s employ, including Scott Snyder, Geoff Johns, and others. So those looking to get into the program will be given tutelage by some of the best writers in the field.
One of the key reasons for these new programs is to bring in voices that has not always been represented in DC’s brand of comic books. Efforts have been made to curb this problem and these programs have the potential to further what DC is doing in order to retain a competitive edge in the industry.
Credit: DC Comics
Of course with every opportunity there are many questions and concerns to consider as well:
How many slots are available for the program?
Will my stories be considered DC material?
How much artistic freedom will I be allowed during the seminars and even after potential employment?
Now many truly unknowns will be cultivated into the DC family?
How many in the program will have had previous connections to those already working at DC?
And possibly the most dreaded of fears:
How much will this cost me to just be in the program?
DC Writer’s Workshop obviously has a lot of sincerity in its mission and eventual goals, and so far there hasn’t been any blow back from anyone who has gone through the seminars for artists, successfully or other. Hopefully if anyone does put in their application to the workshop, the only true downside is the waiting period between their submission and the final decision.
As We Lose Another Iconic Artist, We Remember Prince’s Great Works
There was something about Prince that made him unlike anyone else. He mixed elements from David Bowie, Jimi Hendrix, and Michael Jackson to create one of the most memorable characters in pop culture history. I’ve personally seen the film ‘Purple Rain‘ far more than the average 25-year old. The musician/actor/pioneer found a way to influence so many with his artistry. If it was his diva-like attitude or his scandalous persona, almost everyone has a favorite Prince memory. I can guarantee you that everyone has a favorite song from The Purple One.
Sit back and enjoy as we remember the best of Prince’s amazing tunes.
Honorable Mentions:
“Little Red Corvette“, “I Wanna Be Your Lover“, “I Would Die 4 U“, “Let’s Go Crazy”
5.”Batdance”
A surprise inclusion to many but this song scored Prince his 4th number one hit! Back when soundtracks and their songs were popular, Prince decided to do it better than everyone else…like he always did. Teaming up with Warner Bros. & Tim Burton, The Purple One joined forced with The Dark Knight as Prince created the soundtrack for 1989’s ‘Batman‘ film.
4.1999
When the new millennium was still a thing of the future, Prince was already celebrating like it was here. “1999” can be found on many party playlist; it’s a funky dance song that encapsulates all things that make Prince work. His wacky lyrics and grooving beat helped define his career; the world would never forget him after this.
3. When Doves Cry
This song is epic on every level. The lyrics tell a story, the guitar riffs are memorable, and his vocals are smooth. “When Doves Cry” is possibly one of the most powerful songs ever written; this is when Prince opens up about his twisted family life. This is a signature song for the artist. The music video is just as memorable as the song itself.
2. Kiss
Even people who listen to the most brutal metal music will still crack a smile when “Kiss” comes on. This infectious song is perfect to sing along to with your friends or dance in front of the mirror to. NME magazine even named “Kiss” the 4th greatest song of all time. From the film ‘Under The Cherry Moon‘, I’m sure you’ve been singing the chorus of this song since seeing it on this list.
1. Purple Rain
Could there be anything else? This is the icon at his very peak. “Purple Rain” is the title-track from the soundtrack and film that helped cement Prince as a true force. There is so much passion & emotion in this song. You can hear the pain in his voice as he pours his heart out during each verse. Also, this song reminds everyone that Prince is far more than just a wickedly wonderful singer; the man can shred a guitar like no other.
Robert Downey Jr. kicked off the Marvel Cinematic Universe with Iron Man back in 2008. Now, eight years and six films later, his place in the universe has been the subject of great debate. Between his age and monetary issues that he’s had with the studio, many reporters have speculated that Downey would be leaving the MCU once his contract is up. However, it looks like fans can look forward to at least one more film featuring his iconic Tony Stark.
The move is apparently in response to Spider-Man’s appearance in the upcoming Captain America: Civil War, in which Stark and Peter Parker develop a friendship or mentorship of some sort:
[Civil War] establishes a key relationship between Tony Stark/Iron Man and Parker and Homecoming will continue that thread.
Downey’s latest Marvel contract was for his appearances in Civil War and the two Avengers: Infinity War films. The report claims that this new appearance required additional negotiations and a “hefty” deal. It is currently unknown whether the deal involves subsequent Spider-Man films.
THR also points out that the casting further exemplifies Marvel Studios’ involvement in Sony’s standalone Spider-Man films:
But with Downey’s boarding, it appears that Marvel will continue to keep Spider-Man close not just creatively but also literally; Tony Stark/Iron Man appearing in Homecoming keeps the Sony’s movies strongly tied to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
The friendship/mentorship between Iron Man and Spider-Man is pulled directly from the source material, most notable from 2006’s Civil War. However, that same series showed a parting of the ways between the two characters, so it will be interesting to see how the events of the Civil War movie will affect Robert Downey Jr.’s role in Homecoming.
Spider-Man: Homecoming is scheduled for release on July 7, 2017.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe continues to grow. After months of speculation, the rumours are true. Iron Man is joining Spider-Man in Spider-Man: Homecoming.
The Hollywood Reporter confirms Robert Downey Junior will reprise his role as Tony Stark in Sony Pictures’ upcoming film. He will star alongside Tom Holland, Marisa Tomei, and Zendaya.
This announcement marks the continued agreement between Marvel Studios and Sony over Spider-Man. The character will make his MCU debut next month in Captain America: Civil War.
While Sony retains film rights, Marvel is going to have creative input with the franchise. However, Spider-Man will be allowed to appear in Avengers films.
Spider-Man: Homecoming is scheduled for release on July 7, 2017.
Police are investigating a death at the estate of superstar Prince in Carvery County, Minn., the Carver County Sheriff’s Office said Thursday, according to a FOX 31 report.
“We are not releasing any information regarding the identity of the person who died until next of kin is notified,” spokesman Jason Kamerud said.
TMZ is reporting that Prince Rogers Nelson is the person that passed away at the estate.
When Batman v Superman was first teased and once it was finally released to the general public, one work within the DC catalogue was repeatedly referenced in having an influence in the look and feel of the movie, The Dark Knight Returns written and penciled by Frank Miller. The graphic novel helped to refine sequential art as a true literary format, returned Batman back to his dark and gritty roots, and made Frank Miller a legend within the comic book medium.
Credit: DC Comics
It is also famous for the climactic fight between the Dark Knight of Gotham and DC’s boy scout, Superman, the reverberations of that fight still influencing the latter’s image to this day.
A recent adaption of the limited series was released by DC, considered a very faithful adaptation of the source material. So much so that the film was originally split into two parts so as to include as much of the original story as possible. What many will enjoy from the story is that the confrontation between Superman and Batman has an organic progression. It isn’t forced to simply adhere a film’s timetable.
Credit: DC Comics
There is also the relationship between the two combatants, as the story takes place almost ten years after Batman last donned the cape and cowl. In their first and only real conversation in the series, it is heavily implied that Bruce’s retirement was more of a comprise with the government than it was his decision (aside from the influence Jason Todd’s death had on the decision.)
It is easy to see during the fight in the Dark Knight Returns that Superman does not want to fight Batman, several times during the scuffle Clark tried to talk Bruce down. Of course there is a mixture of naïveté and hubris in his statements, but it is apparent he is wanting to end the fight before either one is killed. There is a higher emotional investment in their relationship outside of BvS’s ‘they don’t trust each other’ arc.
Credit: DC Comics
And watching Clark try to tell Bruce about his heart starting to go into cardiac arrest is tragic. There is a greater emphasis on the relationship between these two figures and the consequences of their actions as the story unfolded. With the Dark Knight Returns being a major influence on BvS, this is definitely worth a look for those wanting to see what inspired the film and possibly surpass the recent major motion picture.
