The WGN Morning News is famous in Chicago for its carefree spirit and almost goofy broadcasts, but nothing could have prepared Pat Tomasulo, Larry Potash, and Robin Baumgarten for Ty Segall and The Muggers.
The performance can only be described as a throwback to the UHF days of locals broadcast with a baby-faced garage rock twist. Baumgarten’s reaction sums up the 3-minutes and 20-seconds interpretive performance.
CHICAGO!
Ty Segall and The Muggers are on the tail end of their ‘Emotional Mugger’ tour in support of his latest album available from Drag City.
Drag City is a Chicago-based independent record label that specializes in experimental indie rock acts.
Superman The Animated Series is the best adaptation of the character of Superman ever. It kept to the heart of the character, but updated him as well, and embraced some of his goofier sides while also created some really intriguing stories. The show brought in some of DC’s other superheroes, and gave Superman a memorable rogues gallery of great villains. But, this article isn’t a retrospective look at the animated series (Andrew Stewart wrote a great article about the series) this is just a look at few episodes. The twenty greatest episodes the show ever produced, and keep in mind that I consider two-part episodes to be one full episode. So, without further adieu, let’s get started.
20. Blast From The Past
These episodes are a retelling of a classic Superman story, and the first time the Man of Steel has to fight other Kryptonians on the show. After he and Professor Hamilton discover the Phantom Zone they find out that one of the criminals, Mala, has been stuck there for longer than she was supposed to be. Superman decides to let her out, but she has a bit of violent streak and an authoritative attitude. Kal-El, decides that it might be best to send her back to the Phantom Zone, but she grabs the machine and lets out her former commanding officer Jax-Ur. Jax-Ur was a military commander that tried to overthrow Krypton, but was stopped by Superman’s father, Jor-El. It’s the classic Zod story, but without the character of Zod. Jax-Ur was a Superman Villain in the comics before, but the episode would have been more memorable if it were Zod. It’s still a great episode though.
19. Fun and Games
Superman TAS reinvented many aspects of the character’s mythos. One of the best decisions they made was to reimagine the villain Toyman. Instead of just a creepy guy with a toy gimmick, the show gave him a much darker and depressing backstory. Part of this was actor Bud Colt’s sinister yet soft voice and that creepy as hell mask they gave him. They managed to take a character so goofy and make him dark and pretty menacing. Add on top of that a desire for revenge against a Metropolis gangster, and this one of the darker episodes that the show produced.
This is probably not the worst situation Lois Lane has found herself in.
18. My Girl
Lana Lang is one of Superman’s supporting characters that has a certain popularity and had a strong resonance with fans. While she was introduced in the second episode she came back with a fashion design angle and a funnier outlook. While the episode’s main story isn’t particularly interesting, Lana Lang and Clark Kent’s interactions are incredibly entertaining and fun. It’s easy to feel the relationship the two had in the past and how they could have had a relationship together, but they just couldn’t due to the circumstances. The episode also sets up the interesting dynamic between Lex Luthor and his assistant Mercy Graves who later became another fan favorite.
“Great, now I have to keep rescuing you too.”
17. Livewire
One of the crowning achievements of this series was that it created a memorable, and fun new villain called Livewire. A former radio DJ with an anti Superman agenda, she gets electrical powers and decides to try and take out the big blue boy scout. Unlike other villains on the show, she wasn’t brooding or dark, she was funny and energetic and had a lot of personality. Also, she could be the best designed supervillain ever. The dark blue outfit and spiked hair worked well with Lori Petty’s voice.
Livewire deserves more cosplay love.
16. Prototype
Many of the episodes stem from Lex Luthor and his company in one way or another. This one is the most unique of them all, because Luthor enlists John Henry Irons (the superhero soon to be known as Steel) to create a robotic suit that can help the Metropolis Police Force better adapt to the crazy threats they have to deal with. The problem is the suit they created has its own artificial intelligence that corrupts police Sergeant Mills, the man wearing the suit. And soon it’s up to Superman and Irons to find a way to stop him. The episode focuses heavily on Mills and his downfall, but also gives enough time to Irons to see how he feels about his machine failing. It’s a goofy premise that has a lot of heart behind it.
15. Knight Time
Batman and Superman crossed over a few times on their respective series, but this one might be the funniest episode they crossed over. After an encounter with the villain Roxy Rocket, Superman discovers that Batman has gone missing, and Robin is completely on his own fighting crime in Gotham (Batgirl and Nightwing are trying to see if Bruce Wayne is with Ra’s Al Ghul). So, the Man of Tomorrow becomes the Caped Crusader, and it’s hilarious to see Clark Kent try and act like Batman as he takes on a slew of Batman’s rogues gallery with Robin. It’s a very enjoyable episode and gives more of a window about how Clark Kent views The Dark Knight and his methods.
14. Identity Crisis
Bizarro is one of Superman’s more well-known villains, but his origin is bizarre (pun absolutely intended). So, the creators thought of a new way to recreate the character in a much darker way than expected. Luthor tries to clone Superman, and it kind of works at first, but then the clone starts to decay. And his transformation is pretty horrifying and disturbing. His mind starts to slow, and his body rots into a pasty white disfigured look. Superman and Bizarro clash, and we got a lot of great episodes with Bizarro in them. He became one of the show’s greatest recurring villains.
13. A Little Piece of Home
Kryptonite is one of the bigger plot elements that people like to pick on, and it’s a fair point to make: Superman can only be hurt by a rock from his planet that doesn’t exist. It removes the character from any possible danger from the real world. This episode really plays with the idea of how Kryptonite works, and while it’s not the strongest episode, it has a lot of interesting situations on how Luthor uses the Kryptonite. It’s a very action packed episode and solidifies the relationship between Superman and Professor Hamilton.
12. Heavy Metal
Steel was a really cool superhero that had an Iron Man like suit, but had a unique personality and an awesome giant hammer. He was introduced in the comics after Superman died from Doomsday. In the animated series they introduced John Henry Irons earlier to give him more development. And here they gave him the chance to really resonate with audiences. In this episode he fights the metallic baddie Metallo with Superman in downtown Metropolis, and it’s so freaking cool. This introduction to the character was a welcome addition to the series and helped launch the character’s popularity.
One of these days, Steel will have his own comic again.
11. Ghost in the Machine
When the Kryptonian computer menace Brainiac infiltrates LexCorp, he holds Luthor hostage and forces him to make another body. Luthor agrees, and Superman has to save him from the mechanized menace. What’s great about this episode is how Luthor and Brainiac interact with each other; they don’t end up teaming up to take down Superman, they’re both try to use each other to get what they want. It’s also the episode used to set up a lot of what happens in Justice League Unlimited’s climax, which is also pretty fantastic.
10. Brave New Metropolis
Parallel universes are a staple of the comic book superhero world, so it’s fun to see Superman in an alternate world. After Lois Lane is thrown into a parallel universe she finds a Metropolis where her death created a union between Superman and Lex Luthor. They created a police state in Metropolis and have an authoritarian rule. It’s a dark, heartbreaking episode that has a lot of “what ifs” and twists on classic characters. Jimmy Olsen is kind of bad ass actually, and it’s a great episode that put a lot of interesting emotion into the episode that we haven’t seen in a lot of Superman stories. Definitely a great departure from the classic Superman stories.
9. A Fish Story
Aquaman is a bad ass, and this show was the first time a TV could really show audiences his awesomeness. After trying to stop Luthor from some nefarious deeds in the ocean, Aquaman gets captured, and the Atlanteans are ready to start an all out war against the surface world. Superman saves Aquaman, but Luthor is still being a dick, and tries to kill most of Atlantis. Aquaman stops him with some help from his sea friends and it’s a great episode filled with action and a great team up that showcased a character that gets a bum rap too often.
“They haven’t cleaned the filter in years!”
8. The Hand of Fate
The show had many team ups and most of them were pretty standard team ups, and most of them involved Superman helping a new superhero adjust to their powers. This one is a little different. Superman has to help a retired, uninterested superhero get back into action. Dr. Fate has given up his heroics, but one of his old enemies is back, and Superman needs his help to fight him off. It’s interesting to see how Superman needs to inspire someone again, and how Superman knows he can’t defeat this enemy by himself. Dr. Fate’s powers are cool, and the episode is basically visual candy.
7. Father’s Day
One of the underlying plots in the show that was set up brilliantly was the introduction of Jack Kirby’s creation Darkseid and the New Gods. Throughout the series Darkseid’s plan was to invade Earth and control of Superman. However, Superman’s first introduction to the world of Apokolips is Darkseid’s adopted son Kalibak. Kalibak tries to honor his father, who’s constantly disappointed in him, by trying to kill Superman first. The two have a brawl in downtown Metropolis (a constant setting in this show) during Father’s day. It’s a great episode that sets up some of the best story arcs in the show.
6. Little Girl Lost
Supergirl’s live action series has been a smash hit since its debut back in September, and her animated induction had a similar fun and spunky character with a similar origin story. Superman finds his long-lost cousin in the deep depths of space, and decides to bring her to Earth and have her live on the farm. Of course she gains superpowers like Superman, and wants to fight crime, but bites off more than she can chew when she takes on Apokolips queen Grannie Goodness and her army of teenage gangsters. It’s a fun introduction to the Girl of Steel, and she also became a great recurring character for the series. The only catch is that her design wasn’t great, but they rectified that in Justice League Unlimited.
5. In Brightest Day…
Green Lantern’s introduction to the series was a little weird. They used Kyle Rayner instead of Hal Jordan and John Stewart (who ended up being in the Green Lantern in Justice League) and while it made sense because Rayner was the Green Lantern in the comics; they designed him to look like Hal Jordan. But, it’s a fun episode with the introduction of Sinestro and the concept of the Green Lantern Corps, and it’s another feast for the eyes. Rayner is very likeable and entertaining as a reluctant hero who has to own up to the responsibility of what’s been thrusted upon him.
4. Speed Demons
Like with the introduction of Green Lantern, the show also introduced Wally West as The Flash and created a really goofy episode about the classic race around the world between Superman and Flash. The two end up going up against The Weather Wizard who is ready to destroy cities with a new weather machine. It’s a great goofy episode that’s very Silver Age in a lot of ways, but it also has a great team up between the two. Wally West is kind of a lovable jerk, but has a good heart and the two heroes have a strong interaction worth watching.
Lucy would be proud Flash.
3. World’s Finest
All this talk about Batman finally meeting Superman in live action, and it’s impossible not to mention their great meet up story in this episode. The Joker and Luthor are out to kill Superman, but The Man of Tomorrow has an unlikely ally in The Dark Knight. The two have to workout their differences to save Metropolis and take down The Joker. What really works great is the chemistry between Bruce Wayne and Clark Kent, as well as the Lois Lane factor. Wayne and Lane have a near romance in the episodes, and of course it doesn’t really work out the way Wayne wants it to. There are also some fun action scenes involving the most homicidal robots ever created by Luthor. It’s definitely the best incarnation to Batman and Superman’s first meeting.
“You know Lexy, I think maybe it’s time we got real jobs.”
2. Mxyzpixilated
One of Superman’s most unusual villains is a fifth dimensional imp named Mister Myxyzptlk. His only goal in being Superman’s enemy is to annoy him, and Superman can only stop him if he can get Myxyzptlk to say his own name backwards. What follows is a hilarious episode that is somehow so Silver Age and bizarre, but so funny and enduring. Plus it also showcases Superman’s intelligence and creativity to outwit his opponents. A lot of people forget that Superman is smart, and resourceful. Plus Gilbert Gottfried’s voice is perfect for the character. Kind of a weird episode, but a good kind of weird.
Never mix Kryptonite and weed.
1. The Main Man
Lobo is a space bounty hunter created by DC Comics as a parody of the muscle-bound overly dark 90s characters that were so prominent in that era. Lobo’s popularity sprung up so quickly that they actually introduced him into the animated series before other heroes. And it was great two-part episode where Lobo captures Superman for a mysterious being called The Collector. The episode is weird, funny, involves Clark Kent using his wits and fighting ability to defeat Lobo and the Collector, and a great team up. These episodes perfectly capture the oddities of the character Superman, but still stick to the core of who he is, and what he’s willing to do. They’re the perfect episodes for a great series.
“So it’s settled, we’re going to kill the Twilight style New 52 version of me. Right?”
So there you have it, 20 great episodes of Superman The Animated Series, if you didn’t see your favorite episode, let us know in the comments below, and tell us why it’s you favorite. Next time the “Road to Batman V Superman” continues; this time we look at 20 great episodes of Batman The Animated Series, which is the finest adaptation of the character ever. See you then.
Whenever casting news is announced online, casting a new actor in a beloved role from a comic book or previous film, fans always react. They love it. They hate it. They think it might kinda sorta have to grow on them. And sometimes the casting news involves an actor that is different ethnically from the way the character has been traditionally portrayed. When that happens, that is when my faith in science fiction, as a genre that is supposed to expand horizons, starts to dip a little bit when I read the ignorant comments that are often made online.
I understand what it is like to think that an actor is entirely wrong for a role. I know what it’s like to have a preconceived idea about a character and scratch my head as to why a particular actor was cast. I also know what it is like to be proven completely wrong when the bully kid from 10 Things I Hate About You completely nails The Joker. People will write things about the actors’ previous work or whether or not they are a good actor when objecting to them being cast as a certain beloved character. And some of it is rose-colored nostalgia glasses, having a tough time moving forward if something is changing.
But then, there are the people who think that it’s wrong or in some way pandering to switch the ethnicity of a character, claiming that Michael B. Jordan was the reason Fant4stic flopped when it was obviously the budget cuts that the studio imposed in the middle of production. I wrote an article recently about the Ice Cube playing J. Jonah Jameson rumor, and the amount of racially-slanted comments that I saw on Facebook made me sad. I commented on his acting ability (something that is important to a movie), and others commented on the color of his skin. Anyway, that evening, ironically while watching Zootopia, I came up with a solution to this problem. It is actually a solution to this issue as well as another that has been plaguing Hollywood science fiction films for years. Ready for it? Here you go!
CREATE. ORIGINAL. CONTENT.
Think about it, if Michael B. Jordan played a superhero in a movie that was not based on an existing franchise, would people object to it? Probably, but racist fans couldn’t hide behind a nostalgic love for a previous version of the character because this character was never seen before. It’s like when people objected to a black Stormtrooper in The Force Awakens before they saw any real footage. Those people were racist. If they opposed to Morgan Freeman playing Han Solo, they could hide behind “I would miss Harrison Ford”. But Finn was an original character, so they didn’t have nostalgia to hide behind.
“Where’s my boyfriend? I like that Wookiee.”
Needless to say, Hollywood ONLY making big-budget science fiction films that are based on an existing brand creates other problems that result in stale remakes. I have no problem with making movies out of existing books/comics that have never been adapted before. Even Die Hard was based on a book, believe it or not. And I forgive the new Spider-Man reboot because now he gets to “come home” and hang out with the rest of the MCU. But enough is enough with the reboots. The few truly original science fiction films that have come out in recent memory have underperformed partially because they didn’t have the advertising campaign of something with a bigger name. Would Pacific Rim have done better if there was merchandise on every corner of Target and Wal-Mart like there was with Age of Ultron? Probably. And I say that because Godzilla came out about the same time and I saw a lot more merchandise for that one. Would that original sci-fi movie have even gotten made if Del Toro didn’t have clout in the industry and his own production company? Probably not.
“I’m about to whoop Godzilla!”
Yes, that is a debate for another article. And I lack the magic power as well as the will power necessary to solve the problem of racism worldwide. But creating more original content in science fiction films will reduce the number of people complaining about the ethnicities of characters online because that will be the first time we’ve seen that character (like Finn), so he can be whatever the director wants. (black, white, Asian, Hispanic, Hutt, Rodian, Klingon, Vulcan, Kree, Skrull, talking teapot, etc.) And the haters can’t hide behind nostalgia. Two angry birds with one Infinity Stone.
What do you think? Would creating more original science fiction movie content squash this problem? Or at least, reduce these kinds of annoying comments? Did you like Idris Elba’s character in Pacific Rim or would you rather see Tom Selleck and his mustache scream, “We are canceling the apocalypse!” Comment below.
For fans of watching bad movies and mocking them, your prayers have been answers. On top of last year’s successful Kickstarter Campaign to get new episodes of the classic series, Mystery Science Theater 3000 to return, fans will now have the opportunity to fund more hilarity in the coming months.
The crew over at RiffTrax have announced their plan for 2016, which will include a RiffTrax of the classic Mystery Science Theater 3000 movie, Time Chasers, but the fans will also have the ability to fund a Reunion Show. If successful, the show will feature Rifftrax regulars, Michael J. Nelson, Bill Corbett, and Kevin Murphy welcoming back a few faces MST3K fans (or MSTies as you prefer to be called) will be familiar with. The special guests will include Trace Beaulieu (Dr. Clayton Forrester), Frank Conniff (TV’s Frank), Mary Jo Pehl (Pearl Forrester), and Bridget Nelson (Mr. B Natural). The trio has also extended invitations to other former cast members as well so there is a chance more guests will be announced later. For now the group is hoping to raise $225,000 to make these specials happen.
Hopefully this is all the information you need to help support this worthwhile event. If not, the Kickstarter also mentions two other unnamed movies will be featured in this year’s schedule. Fans of RiffTrax know they won’t be disappointed and you haven’t experienced them yet, you owe it to yourself to check out some of the hilarious comedy which can come from mocking very bad films.
CBS’s Supergirl is off this week; Kara will be back next week under the influence of red kryptonite. Evil Supergirl will make for a fun episode. With Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice premiering this month thought it might be fun to spin the classic argument Batman vs. Superman argument. What would happened if a red kryptonite infected Supergirl went after Batman? Who would win?
After all, Supergirl has the same power set and around the same power level as Superman. In fact, Superman once surmised she might actually be stronger than he is. (This could be due to her body either absorbing the energy from the yellow sun more efficiently. Or this could be attributed to the fact that Clark grew up with humans, so he became accustomed to holding back.) Whatever, Supergirl is clearly one of the most powerful beings on Earth. This sets up a nice match between a powerful alien and a wealthy and cunning billionaire with almost unlimited resources.
The fight is a “no contest.”If Batman has no time to prepare, Supergirl wins hands down. She could kill an off guard Batman in so many ways. These range from simply breaking his neck with her pinky to flying him to the moon and leaving him there. Or if she wanted to be a little more creative she could blow on him with her freeze breath, so deadly it would make Mr. Freeze jealous. She could shatter Batman into a bunch of little bat pieces. Let’s say Batman has time to prepare with bat armor equipped loaded with bat missiles. Still no match for a being that can shoot fire from her eyes, cold from her breath and move almost as fast as the Flash. She can also lift hundreds of thousands of tons.
Perhaps if Batman snuck up on Supergirl and caught her off guard? Well, super senses, x-ray vision, and super reflexes make that impossible. Of course, Batman carries kryptonite with him that he can use on her. The problem for him is, a red kryptonite infected Supergirl would have no moral qualms melting Batman with heat ray vision before he could get close enough to do any harm. After all, the effects of kryptonite aren’t instantaneous. Hence, the reason the DEO made kryptonite swords. These allow a deadly delivery of kryptonite.
Supergirl’s sister Alex killed Astra with one of these swords. Alex is nowhere near the fighter Batman is. It could be argued that Astra is at least as powerful as Supergirl. Therefore, if Alex can take out Astra, Batman can take down Supergirl or for that matter Superman. Here’s the caveat to that, Astra was very distracted fighting another powerful alien, Martian Manhunter. This is the only way for Batman to take out a Kryptonian is if a similarly powered being distracts that Kryptonian.
Batman is a great iconic character. He is the epitome of human achievement. He will do whatever if needed to get the job done. One on one, even if prepared, he is no match for Supergirl, Superman or any Kryptonian while they are on a yellow-sunned world. Especially if that super being is under the influence of red kryptonite! Thoughts?
Brought to life by a talented ensemble and featuring a transcendent performance by Tina Fey in the lead, Whiskey Tango Foxtrot is equal parts relatable personal drama and surreal wartime comedy. Its balanced tone and approach to presenting a realistic and poignant portrait of a journalist at a number of personal and professional crossroads, and finding the paths she chooses taking her literally into a war zone defined by unpredictability and carnage, is about as pitch perfect as imaginably possible. At the very least, it may just set a new audience expectation for Fey, one that hopes for more compelling and thoughtful performances like the one she delivers here.
Life in the Kabubble
Fey plays Kim Baker, who in 2003 decides to shake up her less-than-satisfying personal life and career as a cable news producer by taking an assignment as a war correspondent in Afghanistan. With absolutely zero experience with Middle Eastern language and culture or reporting from a live war zone, Kim finds her woefully unprepared for the paradoxical and sometimes outright absurd realities that characterize her new world, what those who’ve been in it for a while call “the Kabubble.”
At first, it’s the people around her who keep her from losing her mind and her life in the face of very real danger. There’s the quiet and steadfast Fahim (Christopher Abbott), a local “fixer” whose job it is to connect Kim with information opportunities and contacts in order to help her break stories. There’s also Tanya Vanderpoel (Margot Robbie), a veteran on-air correspondent who eagerly welcomes Kim into the fold and shows her the ropes in return for simply another female presence in a place dominated by men in every measurable sense.
Her shooter, Tall Brian (Nicholas Braun), the head of her security team, Nic (Stephen Peacocke), and Iain MacKelpie (Martin Freeman), a seasoned Scottish photojournalist who takes a shine to Kim even when she makes it abundantly clear she’s not interested, round out a support structure of sorts as Kim slowly figures out how to work and live in a place full of both rigid cultural boundaries and wild, almost hedonistic pursuits of life in the face of an uncertain future.
In terms of her career, Kim also meets in Kabul two men who will have a profound effect on where her reporting takes her. There’s Marine Colonel Walter Hollanek (Billy Bob Thornton), who at first rightly sees in Kim a greenhorn who could be a liability and a danger to his men in combat; and Ali Massoud Sadiq (Alfred Molina), an ambitious local politician who initially dismisses Kim, as many men do in Afghanistan simply on the basis of her gender, but very quickly develops an interest in getting closer to Kim than possibly she might like.
Reporting on bullets flying and chaos raging by day, navigating a different kind of chaos characterized by drugs, parties, and short-lived amorous connections by night, it’s all Kim can do just to keep up, until one day she realizes, as many that work and play in the Kabubble for long enough do, that she can’t imagine living any other way.
The Taliban Shuffle
Whiskey Tango Foxtrot is based on the real-life experiences of print-journalist-turned-war-correspondent Kim Barker, who shared stories of her years spent reporting in war zones in the Middle East in her 2012 book “The Taliban Shuffle: Strange Days in Afghanistan and Pakistan.” While the film is essentially a collection of anecdotes whose progression does eventually point to some predictable dramatic beats, what holds it all together and keeps it both emotionally genuine and darkly comic is the narrative voice Tina Fey adopts in order to show and tell Kim’s story. The wry, self-deprecating wit that informs Kim’s every observation and insight into the crazy life she learns to live is an almost perfect fit for Fey; and yet there’s no escaping the sense throughout that her work here, the dramatic range required to make the character believable and relatable, transcends anything she’s done as a performer in any medium to date.
Is she funny? Yes, of course she is, because if Tina Fey can do one thing better than craft a line, it’s deliver one, and there are lots of good ones in Whiskey Tango Foxtrot. But what’s so impressive here is that she’s so much more than funny in this role. She’s compelling, both as a viewpoint into a world and an experience few people will ever get to see from that perspective, and as a fully realized cinematic character whose voice never fails to come off as authentic.
Rivalry and Romance
Just as entertaining and compelling in Whiskey Tango Foxtrot are Fey’s talented castmates, who each get to shine in roles considerably different than what mainstream audiences might know them best for. Margot Robbie has not stopped stunning audiences with her looks and dramatic chops since she made such an unforgettable splash in 2013’s The Wolf of Wall Street, a run she continued with last year’s Focus (also directed by Glenn Ficarra and John Requa). Here, at last, she gets to enjoy considerable screen time while getting to speak in her native Australian accent, while also bringing to life a character in Tanya who is in many ways a foil to Fey’s Kim, a person so opposite of Kim that had they met anywhere else in the world they might not even get along, much less become fast friends.
But the friendship the characters forge does feel real and organic to the material because of where they are and what they’re up against, which makes where the two women’s stories ultimately lead them all the more dramatic. The same goes for Freeman and his depiction of the irascible Iain, whose occasionally profane, “rub you the wrong way until you like it” charms allow for the actor who is so often the straight man in his other roles to do some fun scene chewing of his own. Only in the Kabubble could Kim and Iain find themselves in one another’s orbit, and in some ways only because there’s a sense for all within that place and time that it can’t last forever. Given those constraints in addition to their characters’ equally glib personalities but profoundly different outlooks, it’s just plain fun to see Fey and Freeman run with the material and make it work.
While those relationships come to be symbolic of the tumult Kim finds in her personal life while in Afghanistan, it’s her interactions with Abbott and Molina’s characters, Fahim and Sadiq, respectively, that come to epitomize her complicated affection and consternation with the country itself. Thankfully, those roles are handled superbly, as well, and as such its Fey’s scenes with those two actors that are among the film’s most memorable, for both heartbreaking and humorous reasons.
Worth seeing?
Without a doubt. Ignore the film’s bait-and-switch marketing that would have you believe Whiskey Tango Foxtrot to be some sort of “30 Rock Goes To War” silliness, and go in ready for something truly memorable and exceptional. You may be surprised at just how much you enjoy the film, and you certainly won’t be disappointed.
Whiskey Tango Foxtrot
Starring Tina Fey, Margot Robbie, Martin Freeman, Alfred Molina, and Billy Bob Thornton. Directed by Glenn Ficarra and John Requa.
Running Time: 111 minutes
Rated R for pervasive language, some sexual content, drug use and violent war images.
J.K. Simmons has signed on to play Commissioner Gordon in the upcoming Justice League film(s).
According to The Hollywood Reporter‘s breaking story, Simmons will join the cast of superheroes (Henry Cavill, Ben Affleck, Gal Gadot, Jason Momoa, Ezra Miller, Ray Fisher) to play the Gotham City commissioner.
J.K. Simmons has been back in the superhero circuit as fans really want him back in the role of J. Jonah Jameson in the Marvel Universe. It appears he won’t be back in that role while he hops over to the DC side of things, and Ice Cube has been rumored to fill that void with Marvel. Commissioner Gordon was most recently played by Gary Oldman in Christoher Nolan’s Dark Knight Trilogy, and is currently played by Ben McKenzie in the FOX series Gotham.
Justice League: Part One is ramping up production next month, and is set to hit theaters November 17, 2017. Part Two will be here June 14, 2019.
Sony announced plans several years ago for a shared cinematic universe revolving around Spider-Man, scheduling films like The Sinister Six and Venom. The projects were in development for some time, but the failure of The Amazing Spider-Man 2 left their fates uncertain. Plans were further complicated when Sony struck a deal with Marvel Studios to incorporate Spider-Man into the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Now, the studio has announced a plan to revive the Venom solo movie, something that will be “a franchise apart from and unrelated to the upcoming Spider-Man movie in the works with actor Tom Holland.”
Virtually nothing is known yet about Venom, other than its standalone nature. However, even that is enough information to spark a few initial thoughts, predictions, and concerns about the flick!
Origin Concerns
Venom’s comic book origins are deeply rooted in Spider-Man mythology. The black symbiote first belonged to Peter Parker, plaguing him during The Alien Costume Saga. It wasn’t until Peter rejected the alien that it attached itself to Eddie Brock, who harbored his own resentment against the webslinger. Their combined hatred is what led them to become Venom.
But Venom will have no ties to the latest Spider-Man, so how will the filmmakers explain the symbiote’s existence? Will the alien simply fall from the sky and find a host, like in Spider-Man 3? Will it be a lab experiment gone wrong, like in Ultimate Spider-Man?
Perhaps it will be the result of military testing, which would make sense if the following prediction comes true…
Flash Thompson Will Be Venom’s Host
Eddie Brock was the first Venom, but his sole purpose was to destroy Spider-Man. He was very much a supporting character that was at his best when bouncing off of Peter Parker. So it’s doubtful that the filmmakers would be able to utilize Brock effectively, since the project is meant to be independent of Spider-Man. It is much more likely that they will use the symbiote’s fourth host, Flash Thompson, instead (skipping the third host, Mac Gargan, completely).
Flash is a soldier who lost his legs in the Iraq War. He agrees to bond with the alien symbiote, regains his limbs, and continues to serve his country as Agent Venom. That sounds like the perfect setup for the character’s solo movie. It doesn’t have to be tied in with any other characters, and can sustain a franchise.
Granted, Flash is also deeply rooted in Spider-Man’s history; he was Peter Parker’s high school bully. But it would be much simpler to separate him from Spider-Man than it would be with Eddie Brock.
Food For Thought: Venom May Turn Out To Be Sony’s Deadpool
X-Men Origins: Wolverine bastardized Deadpool in 2009. The odds of a solo movie plummeted after the movie flopped. Moreover, fans didn’t even want another solo movie after it flopped. But Fox rebooted the X-Men franchise, placed their trust in the filmmakers’ hands, and 2016’s Deadpool has been a smash hit.
Who is to say that Sony can’t accomplish the same goal with Venom? The memories of Spider-Man 3 and Topher Grace as Venom are spoiling fans’ expectations of a completely unrelated film. Judgement simply needs to be withheld until some actual details or footage are divulged.
Plus, if it is Sony’s Deadpool, how awesome would an R-rated Venom be?
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I grew up with Transformers. Sort of. I came into it with the Generation 2 show, as well as Victory, the anime that they would show on Mexican TV. Then later, I watched Beast Wars. So I wasn’t really disconnected from it, and I enjoyed it enough to seek out the toys, although I never collected them in the way I would collect other toys and action figures. Since then, I separated myself from the franchise. I did watch the first two Transformers movies and that was all I needed in order to realize those movies were not for me. That separation also led me to not seek out any other work, old or new, related to the Transformers franchise. So I had never watched Transformers: The Movie. And following the Looking Back on ’86 series, I decided it was to sit down and watch it. So, how does it hold up, especially for someone like me who no longer considers himself a fan? Not too well.
The movie takes place twenty years after the second season of the show, and in short, deals with both the Decepticons and Autobots fighting against Unicorn, a sentient planet-eating planet, who is after the Matrix of Leadership, the only thing that is capable of destroying him. The first thirty minutes or so of the movie are fun, with a few surprising twists that I’m sure made many kids cry back in the day. Characters die, allegiances change, there are betrayals and tension rises between all of the characters. All adding up to an engaging start. The animation is pretty solid, and the voice acting is great, featuring the likes of Leonard Nimoy, Peter Weller and Orson Welles.
In that regarding, it’s disappointing that the movie doesn’t end up taking things further. Most of the movie is composed of wall-to-watch action and chase sequences that grow tiresome after a while. And all of a sudden, the movie is over. The sort of excitement and humor found at the start evaporates, and what’s left is just a flashy, colorful carcass of what started out as a pretty fun movie. But these impressions may all be on me; it could just be that the movie requires a bigger connection with the characters that only those familiar with the series could have. But overall, the movie stopped being surprising and this made it far duller than it should be. There’s also the non-stop soundtrack that ends up becoming meaningless because of its overuse, and sometimes, the song placement feels outright misguided. All this just leads me to conclude that the movie is only for fans of the 80s animated version of this franchise. I will say, though, that Transformers: Age of Extinction missed a huge opportunity by not having Mark Wahlberg sing “The Touch” in that movie, to tie in perfectly the Transformers franchise with Boogie Nights.
The issues of race, which have nothing to do with the murders that The Juice is accused of, come to a forefront in this episode. American Crime Story establishes the tone of this as early as the first minute of Episode 1. Simpson’s white lawyers introduced the race card with a scathing article, and recruited Cochran as a way to play into that. Cochran starts this episode with a flashback to 1982. The short scene helps us get into Cochran’s head, and understand his passions/prejudices when it comes to white police officers dealing with black men and women.
The other star of this episode is Christopher Darden. Marcia Clark treats Darden as equals, but Darden knows he’s on the case because of his race. Darden deserves his seat on the case, and even moreso when he rises up to co-prosecutor. The man is intelligent, skilled, and upfront with his motives. Unlike Cochran, who’s quickly becoming his adversary, Darden doesn’t treat the trial like a talk show. These two experienced, African American lawyers quickly become the centerpiece as to how the O.J. Simpson trial is about race, and not about race.
One scene that perfectly exemplifies these counter viewpoints between Cochran and Darden is right before the opening statements. Darden looks to sidestep the potential disaster with one of their prime witnesses: Detective Mark Fuhrman. Fuhrman is the guy who found the glove, but he’s got a documented history of racist behavior. Fuhrman is also the crux the defense plans to rip apart on the stand. Darden knows Fuhrman will play right into the hands of the defense, probably because the man has internalized his racism.
Darden makes speech moving to block the defense from asking any questions about Fuhrman’s alleged bias. This monologue captures the problems with playing the race card, and all the complexities working within it. The racial politics is a distraction pandering to the men and women looking up to O.J. Simpson. Cochran even uses a Martin Luther King, Jr. in his opening statement to reel in the black juror’s. This is the defense’s game plan. Cochran’s response to Darden’s poignant speech is more of a reflection on him more than the issues at hand. Cochran might think he’s not, but he’s just as egocentric and privileged as his Dream Team white colleagues.
Simpson goes back to his limited screen time in this episode, but he once again doesn’t disappoint. In line with his Cochran’s manipulative tendencies, the lawyer takes the liberty to entirely redecorate Simpson’s house. Cochran erases Simpson’s white privilege and his obvious misogyny. Cochran creates the ideal black man, the man the black community hopes he is. Simpson’s temper and toxic pride manifest quickly in this setting. It’s only when everyone is outside on the lawn with The Juice statue that Simpson’s emotions boil over. The statue is what everyone sees when they look at O.J. Simpson.
