This week’s review returns to one of my favourite types of beer, the IPA. And, though I’ve reviewed a beer from Flying Monkeys Craft Brewery already, I couldn’t resist reviewing Flying Monkeys Craft Brewery Smashbomb Atomic IPA.
The Brewery
The words of wisdom under Flying Monkeys bottle caps are always welcome
Flying Monkeys Craft Brewery, as I said in my review of their Hoptical Illusion Almost Pale Ale, has distinguished itself as an award-winning maker of fine Ontarian beer since 2008. Flying Monkeys’ beers’ goofy names and wacky multi-coloured labels make them stand out on the shelf but Flying Monkeys’ dedication to making great brews is what makes its beer worth picking up.
First Sip
Kaboom! This IPA packs a serious wallop. With heavy citrus notes and a solid malty showing, Smashbomb Atomic IPA ain’t kiddin’ around. It’s hard to keep my lips from puckering and my mouth from watering as I take a big gulp of this explosive IPA. The notes of grapefruit are hard to miss and the high carbonation level makes the flavour of this IPA detonate and leave an aftertaste fallout on your nuked taste buds. Don’t serve this to anyone expecting a lager. They’re likely to wrinkle their noses and give you an odd look.
Last Sip
Although this isn’t a heavy beer, it’s a strong-flavoured and highly alcoholic one. Watch out, a beer this flavourful comes at a very pleasantly intoxicating cost: this nuclear beer has a 6.0% ABV rating. Keeping that in mind, this is a good beer to have a couple of but it doesn’t have that “Let’s keep drinking” quality that a beer like Steam Whistle or Moosehead does. This beer just isn’t meant to be that, though. Instead, like the Flying Monkeys website states, “It’s that beer we craft while we tune out whiners who ask us to relent. It’s that IPA we brew because, gosh darn it, we want to drink it.”
Other Comments
As a particularly good IPA, this one’s best served with salty pub foods like french fries and deep-fried food. Just don’t tell your doctor I told you that.
As more and more movies and TV series get made based on Comic Books, there are still a few titles which need to get their turn in the spotlight. This list features series which would be perfect to be made into TV series and would probably gain a huge following from geeks across the web if they did.
Saga
A pair of star crossed lovers dealing with War, intrigue, death, and the problems of being new parents are all present in Saga. Marko and Alana are from separate worlds which have been engaged in a long standing war but are in love and want to just raise their daughter Hazel without conflict. Unfortunately for them, people from their past, both of their worlds, and the universe itself just won’t give them a break. Creator Brian K. Vaughan has said the show wasn’t meant for any adaptation other than as a graphic novel but maybe he’ll eventually change his mind.
Fables
The Eisner Award winning series about the fable characters of yesterday living in modern day New York would make a perfect TV series. Once Upon A Time showed there is a big audience out there for those who enjoy fairy tale characters. Also, the love story between the Big Bad Wolf and Snow White is one for the ages.
Howard the Duck
After his reappearance in the Guardians of the Galaxy film, this web footed loud mouth has gotten a new following. Read any of his more recent comics by Chip Zdarsky where he is working as a private investigator in the Marvel Universe (in the same building as She Hulk’s law firm) and you will see why him staring in a TV series is a winning formula. It will be like Jessica Jones but have much more humor in its tone.
Spawn
Yes, there is recent talk of the creator, Todd McFarlane making another movie but this show would benefit more from being a TV series. Over the years, the series has become dense with the amount of characters and story lines to the point many fans have dropped off. To tell a proper story with these characters it makes more sense to do a TV show. Remember the animated series HBO made in the 90s? It was received much better than the movie ever was.
Satellite Sam
A murder mystery dripping with sex? What’s not to love? The series follows Michael White, son of the TV Superhero Satellite Sam, who after his father’s death discovers the perverted life his father once lived. This sends Michael down a path to investigate his father’s death while at the same time taking up the Satellite Sam name on the TV show. It would be perfect for a Showtime or FX series where they can push the envelope on their mature content.
Hopefully these shows will eventually get the adaptations they properly deserve. For now, all fans can do is cross their fingers and hope some executive recognizes and gives these comics the chance they rightfully deserve.
Welcome to Taking a Shelfie! A brand new monthly series where we will suggest books, games and toys that we believe should be on your shelf. There will be themes, events and even suggestions from our followers.
February was the start of 2016’s superhero films. Deadpool brought us one of the most wall-breaking movies of the current generation and we are itching for more. March is another power-packed month bringing both Marvel’sDaredevil Season 2 to Netflix and DC Comic’sBatman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice. So this inaugural issue of Taking a Shelfie is dedicated to all the fun coming to the small and big screens.
Batman: A Death in the Family
Jason Todd’s attitude has caused the near death of himself and Batman on several occasions and has forced Batman’s hand. Robin has been benched. During his time off of the beat, Jason finds out his mother, Catherine Todd, may not have been his birth parent and forces him on a long, politically themed journey to the other side of the world. After locating his birth mother, Jason finds himself caught in a very twisted trap by none-other than The Joker. Learning of his birth mother’s connection to the Clown Prince of Crime, Jason is brutally beaten with a crow bar before he and his mother are left to die in a warehouse explosion. Though, Batman tries desperately to save them, both die. Jason’s death is almost too much for Batman causing his mental stability to teeter along the moral line.
Batman: A Death in the Family has been long recognized as one of the pivotal emotional experiences of Bruce Wayne’s life. Many fans even compare it to the emotional turmoil Bruce felt after the death of his own parents. Using this as a base line, the upcoming Batman vs. Superman film has made references to the 1-900-fan-voted storyline as a driving feature in Bat-fleck’s feelings of justice. Even showing him looking longingly at Jason’s battered armor, forever enshrined in the Batcave. The New York Times bestselling series, Batman: A Death in the Family by Jim Starlin (The Infinity Gauntlet) and artist Jim Aparo (Batman and The Outsiders) is a must own. It is available for $24.99 at your local comic’s retailer. Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice hits theaters on Friday, March 25th. (Pre-sale tickets are now available.)
Daredevil: The Man Without Fear
With the shot-point-blank death of his father, Jack, a prizing winning boxer who was killed after refusing to take a dive in the ring in accordance to a crime boss, and the constant chastisement throughout school, Matt Murdock’s life was drastically altered after a radioactive chemical spill causes permanent blindness. Though his eyesight is lost, his other senses are enhanced to extraordinary levels. Learning to hone his abilities, Matt makes it his life’s mission to uphold the law. And to make Hell’s Kitchen a better place. But when a new crime Kingpin comes to town, he realizes his entire world may be even darker than he had ever expected.
See where it all began. The origin story from comics heavy hitters Frank Miller (The Dark Knight) and John Romita Jr. (Kick Ass), Daredevil: Man Without Fear is a must read for new Daredevil fans. The story that was adapted for television and made one of the most niche characters into one of the most fan-interested characters of the modern day. A character that was stripped down to a joke in Hollywood into the focal point of one of the most critically acclaimed series of 2015. Volume 1 (issues #1 – 5) is available for $19.99 at your local comic book store. Netflix’s Daredevil Season 2 arrives in full on March 18th.
Descender
The planet Niyrata, the home of the technologically advanced United Galactic Council (UGC), has come under attack. Giant automatons, later given the name Harvesters, have come to destroy everything, but why is a mystery. For as quickly as they came, they vanished. Leaving the galaxy reeling in terror of when their next attack may come. The UGC now looks to Doctor Jin Quon, the father of modern robotics, for support. Yet he fades to know nothing of the destructive A.I. goliaths. Even when evidence is found linking the Harvesters to his greatest, most human-like robots ever invented, The Tim-companion-series. Ten years after the Harvester attacks, a final Tim robot has been located and it is up to Quon and a few UGC agents to retrieve the robot and find the key to the Harvester threat.
It was January 30th, 2015. Jeff Lemire (Sweet Tooth) and Dustin Nguyen’s (Li’l Gotham) Descender will not arrive on store shelves for just over a month still but the announcement that Sony Entertainment has already signed on the series to be adapted into a film is big news. Lemire and Nguyen’s space opera is now 10 issues in, with #11 hitting shelves Wednesday, March 9th, and is an independent comic fan-favorite. As most Image Comic’s first volumes, Descender trade paperback volume 1 is only $9.99 at your local comic’s retailer. And volume 2 is available now for pre-order with a May 4th release date.
DC Comic’s Deck Building Card Games
As part of the world’s strongest superhero team, it is the Justice League’s job to keep the world safe from villainy. Beginning with a only small hand of minor maneuvers and characters, with Cryptozoic’s fast paced (game time ranging from about 30 – 45 minutes) deck building game, you must build a team to help defeat evil. By the end of the game whoever has the most victory points is the winner. With theme expansions such as Crisis and the CW’s Arrow, the game can be played with as few as 2 players and up to 8. (Base game play is for 2 – 5.) There are also additional standalone expansions such as Forever Evil, where you take up game play as the Villains featuring characters such as those Harley Quinn and Lex Luthor, based on the Justice League (New 52) crossover-event.
DC Comic’s Deck Building Game (base) is available for $40 at your local gaming store with expansions as cheap as only $10 – $20.
Captain America: Civil War Funko POPs
After their explosive domination at this year’s Toy Fair in New York city earlier this year, there is no doubt Funko is ruling the current toy market. And, just released on March 1st, Captain America: Civil War POP Vinyl figurines are here. Featuring for the first time characters like Black Panther and Crossbones, this release is one of the most anticipated since… Well, since Avengers: Age of Ultron. With exclusives from shops like Hot Topic, Walgreens, GameStop and Barnes and Noble, the POP hunting is on. Make sure to stop by your local toy hot spot and grab your Civil War POPs today. Prices may vary.
Captain America: Civil War hits theaters Friday, May 6th.
From Daredevil to Superman, from Batman to Captain America, 2016 will host some of the most exciting super powered heroes and villains to ever hit the big (or little) screens. And there is some amazing product out to feed the cinematic fever.
As a special addition to these first few posts, we will be spotlighting some of the Monkey Fighting Robots staff’s personal shelfies. This month, I am going to show off one of my own, personal, shelves!
As a comic book store manager, I read a lot. Most books can only be read when possible, but some are so great that they get read over and over again. Books like Sunstone, Maus, Descender and Bitch Planet are always at arm’s reach. Along with my favorite plush such as my slowly growing Itty Bitty collection from Hallmark toys. Do not worry if you beginning seeing a Bat-pattern in some of my pictures, since a large majority of my collection include Batman, Joker and Harley Quinn statuary and collectibles. Many of which you may see in future Taking a Shelfie posts.
Do you have a Shelfie you would like to show off? Post a picture of your favorite shelf on Twitter or Instagram with #MFRShelfies and we may spotlight you and your collection in a future post.
WWE’s Biggest Show Since 1985…Which Wrestlemania Is The Best?
On April 3rd, WWE will host their thirty-second annual Wrestlemania, this time in Arlington, Texas. Like Manias throughout history, the event will be filled with must-see moments while also wrapping up major story arcs between heated rivals. The spectacle that is Wrestlemania continuously changes the wrestling industry and it’s a yearly tradition for any WWE fan!
There is a question we’ve all asked ourselves: “What is the best Wrestlemania ever?”. With 31 (almost 32) shows, it’s hard to make a case for just one show. Like any form of art, the answer is purely subjective but I’ve taken the critical opinions, fan reactions, and quality of matches to compile an argument for what is the best Wrestlemania in WWE history.
5. Wrestlemania 21 (2005)
-The 21st Wrestlemania provided a passing of the torch from past to present of wrestling. Batista defeated Triple H while over on Smackdown, John Cena won his first world title from JBL; allowing the new generation to take over WWE. You can’t mention this Mania without including the introduction of the Money In The Bank match, won by Edge. Can’t forget one of the best Undertaker matches in Mania history: Randy Orton vs The Undertaker. He was the first superstar to target Taker’s then-unbroken winning streak; he made ‘The Streak’ what it is today. These moments at 21 are still effecting wrestling.
4. Wrestlemania 31 (2015)
-Wrestlemania 31 has a different feel from any other in history; maybe it’s the sunlight or maybe it’s seeing independent wrestling superstars become WWE immortals. There’s never been a Wrestlemania that represents the indy scene in wrestling more than 31. Seth Rollins walked away with the WWE World Heavyweight Title by curb-stomping two of WWE’s most prototypical stars. Fan-favorite Daniel Bryan regained the Intercontinental Championship while Anti-Divas AJ Lee & Paige defeated Total Divas’s The Bellas. 31 even gave us the overdue brawl between DX & NWO; even if it was twenty years too late.
3. Wrestlemania III (1987)
-This is how you mix sports entertainment & professional wrestling! The main event with Andre The Giant & Hulk Hogan is engrained in fan’s minds while Ricky Steamboat Vs. Randy Savage remains one of the greatest matches of all time. A double main-event like that would put place a show on a ‘Best Of List’. Even the undercard is filled with a long list of 80’s WWF stars; Roddy Piper, Adrian Adonis, Koko B. Ware, Harley Race, Jake ‘The Snake’ Roberts, and even rock legend Alice Cooper round out the card! The first Mania gets the credit for starting but number 3 legitimized the show!
2. Wrestlemania X-Seven (2001)
-The universally praised 17th Wrestlemania is without a doubt a masterpiece but misses out on the top spot for lacking of a strong mid-card. With nostalgically bad ‘Gimmick Battle Royale’ and throwaway matches filled with major potential, the negatives slightly outweigh the positives. Matches like Angle/Benoit & Taker/HHH were good but the pairings had far better showings. X-Seven did supply some of the most memorable moments in WWE history though including the epic encounter of ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin and The Rock, the insanity that was TLC 2, and The McMahon Family Soap Opera.
1. Wrestlemania XIX (2003)
-The first Wrestlemania under the ‘WWE’ moniker provided solid professional wrestling throughout with some talented stars within the company getting the spotlight.The only real blunder is one of Undertaker’s weakest Mania matches. The rest of the card allows the show to grab the top spot on the list. From a brutal revenge match of Vince McMahon Vs. Hulk Hogan to the finale of the Rock/Austin trilogy, the entertainment’s outstanding. Even the women’s match surpasses X-Seven with TrishStratus defeating Victoria & Jazz. But the thing that helps 19 slip past 17 is the pure wrestling. With classics like the Shawn Michaels Vs. Chris Jericho dream match or a jaw-dropping main event with Kurt Angle and Brock Lesnar, Wrestlemania XIX is the best Mania in history.
Do you agree with my list? What do you think is undoubtable the best Wrestlemania in history? Do you love X-Seven or XIX? Is your pick for best Mania an entirely different one? Let me know in the comments below!
Earlier last year, Marvel announced they got the rights to Spider-Man so they can use him in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. When this was announced, it was assumed that all plans Sony had for Spider-Man were cancelled and for the most part, they were. One movie managed to possibly slip through the cracks however. Today, The Hollywood Reporter revealed that the film centered around the iconic villain, Venom, is back in full swing.
Avi Arad and Matt Tolmach, producers on the Spider-Man films, will be producing the film and Dante Harper, writer of the sci-fi blockbuster Edge of Tomorrow, has been brought on to write the on-screen adaptation of the beloved character. In addition to the solo film, Sony plans to launch a franchise surrounding the character most likely showcasing him as the anti-hero he currently is in the comics. No other details have been mentioned.
It is unclear if this will be set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and if we will ever see Spider-Man and this Venom cross paths, but one can only hope.
The character had his feature film debut in 2007 with Spider-Man 3 when Topher Grace delivered a cringe-worthy performance that most Spider-Man fans see as a joke at this point.
It’s possible Sony saw the success of Deadpool and thought the violent character of Venom could work as a mature R rated film. What do you think of this news? Are you excited to see the character done justice on film or would you rather Sony stay away from the character after the events of Spider-Man 3? Let us know in the comments below.
Star Wars: Episode VIII has begun filming in Croatia. During the first days of shooting Mark Hamill made a few random comments about his relationship with Daisy Ridley. This once again sparked a conversation over, who the heck are Rey’s parents?
I’m no Star Wars expert. Sitting next to Alan Dean Foster on a comic con panel is about as close as I have ever been to a true Star Wars expert. Still it is fun to make semi-educated guesses.
It’s fairly clear that Rey is strong with the force and, therefore, most likely comes from a line that is strong with the force. It also makes some sense that we already know or have seen at least one of her parents. That leaves us with a few possible candidates.
Note: possible spoilers if you have not seen this movie and have been living in an internet-free cave. But then why are you reading this?
Yoda: Don’t think he was interested in having kids. Plus there is no hint of green in Rey.
Ben Kenobi: some theories are Daisy can be Ben’s granddaughter. On some level, this could make sense. We come full circle now with Ben’s student Luke training Ben’s granddaughter Rey. The problem with this, in the brief time we got to know Ben he made no reference to a wife no less any children. Plus if Ben were the grandfather that would mean we the audience haven’t met the grandmother and both parents. Too many holes to fill in there.
Leia and Han: they’ve already had Kylo Ren, who is very apt at using the force. Could Rey be his sister or half sister that they had hidden? Much like Ben Kenobi hid Luke and Lei from Anakin / Darth. It’s also not unheard of for the characters in this universe to keep these types of secrets. But if Hans and Leia were Rey’s parents they certainly would have told her. If not before, fighting Kylo than you would think Leia would have done it after the battle. It would have been an emotional mother-daughter moment that lifted both their spirits.
Anakin Skywalker / Darth Vader: Just because he was in a mask and was an evil tyrant doesn’t mean he couldn’t have produced more children. He does have a history of producing children that are very force sensitive. This would mean Luke was now training his little sister. Logically this could work. After all, tyrants do like to reproduce. But cinematically it’s not as dramatic as say, teaching your daughter. Which brings us to…
Luke Skywalker: From the cinematic and logical point of view this just makes the most sense. R2D2 popped back on when Rey was around. Luke’s light saber called to Rey. She, like Luke is “way good” with the force. Luke now has a mechanical body part much like his father. It only makes sense that he would teach his daughter how to use the force correctly so she doesn’t tip to the dark side like his father. The mother could very well be Mara Jade or some version of her that will most likely never get to meet. Even it for some reason it turns out Luke is gay (as has been sort of, kind of, maybe suggested) that doesn’t mean he couldn’t still father a daughter especially if were for the benefit of the Universe.
So yeah, I’m using Occam’s Razor, and the simplest and best solution is Luke is the father. The character who did not speak in the last movie may now start the next movie with those iconic words, “…I am your father.”
The largest critique seems to be that the show relies too heavily on the nostalgia factor, which (ironically) gets old after the first episode or two.
John Stamos, the seemingly ageless star who rallied to get the reboot made, responded to the harsh reviews on Late Night with Seth Meyers. Check out the whole segment below:
Early on in The 100, it was exciting entering this new (old) world and discovering the elements as our characters did and dealing with them with the same rough, yet necessary action. We didn’t know what to think of the Grounders or of the Mountain Men or of drones leading to ornate mansions controlled by an A.I. program which gives “believers” access to a Matrix-esque world of perfection. As all seemingly separate strings to a larger mythology, ‘Thirteen’ gives us the largest key yet and one that proves all of these people were connected in ways that truly change the ethical fibers of the show.
In case you were wondering, MASSIVE SPOILERS LIE AHEAD!
Beginning with the continued captivity of Murphy, we flashback for the first time to the 13th station in space as the world comes to an end: Polaris. Here, we finally see that it is Becca (whom we’ve all guess was the culprit) who is responsible for the total nuclear annihilation of earth as she looks down from high above her Polaris station. Like most geniuses incapable of seeing the forest for the trees, she is undeterred from giving up her quest at creating an A.I. that will ultimately save the human race even after destroying it rather nicely. Before condemning her shipmates to death by not destroying A.L.I.E. 2, she implants the chip into herself and jettisons down to earth.
Big clue number one: she has black blood, exactly like our Grounder Nightbloods and Commander Lexa.
Upon arriving on earth, we see that Becca is greeted by surviving humans amidst colossal levels of radiation and is standing at the foot of what we come to know as the center of the tower of Polis. The Grounder nation began with the first Skaikru to come back to earth.
Like the most interesting conflicts, the enemy and the hero are the exact same shade of rusty, bloody gray.
Back at Polis, Clarke and Lexa defend their choices against a raging Grounder Nation, demanding retribution for Skaikru’s latest attack. With Octavia and the temporarily hidden Murphy now also inside Polis, Clarke has watchful eyes and ears on her as she advises how Lexa should deal with their people. Ultimately, the decision is to create a buffer zone around Arkadia, lasting until Skaikru can rid themselves of their new leader, Pike. This doesn’t occur before an attempt on Lexa’s life is taken by one of the furious clan leaders. Showing excellent combat reaction and his true devotion to Lexa, Titus saves her life and kills the dissenter. Titus has become a rather stereotypical character but he plays so many roles in this society and is given enough to do that his presence always draws tension from the viewer. He is Game of Thrones’ Varys, Littlefinger and The Red Priestess all in one.
This act of devotion is inversely reciprocated later but not until…
Clarke and Lexa have their last moment together in who knows how long. With Clarke and Octavia traveling back to Arkadia before the buffer initiates and a kill order in place on all those who cross it, Clarke and Lexa’s passion for each other can’t be suffocated any longer. The two finally consummate their relationship in a heart-wrenchingly lovely scene which all leads up to one horrific moment.
Attempting to frame the now uncovered prisoner Murphy for the murder of Clarke, Titus accidentally shoots Lexa in the chest and kills her.
‘Thirteen’ was undoubtedly leading to this moment in many ways. Titus’ life-saving action coupled with the love scene didn’t leave much room for hope that Lexa would survive the day. While this is the largest character death since that of Finn in season two, this death means just more than drawing a moral line in the sand.
Soon after she passes, with Clarke dismayed beyond belief at her bedside, Titus performs the passing rite of the Commander. He flips Lexa’s body over and examines a vertical scar on the back of her neck that is covered by an infinity symbol. Also the symbol for The City of Light. Also a symbol for Polaris station. Titus makes an incision into Lexa’s neck and removes the exact piece of A.I. that Becca initially installed into her body before making her trip back to earth.
Lexa and each and every Grounder Commander (given the term because of the title appearing upon Becca’s spacesuit when she lands on earth) has been spiritually connected to the last, leading inevitably back to Becca and A.L.I.E. and the end of earth as they once knew it. In The 100, a forming thesis has been that death isn’t the end. For a show that doesn’t delve in to the religious, it is a highly spiritual one that seems to believe in (at least a form of) reincarnation and the lasting impact of one’s life upon the world. It isn’t an afterlife in the traditional sense that Jason Rothenberg and the writers care about, but a death in which your spirit isn’t forsaken.
There are many interesting takeaways from ‘Thirteen’ and it exists very nicely as a lightning rod for the rest of the season to hinge itself upon. One rather worrisome theme is that having sex with Clarke has now become a death knell for the opposite party. I’m not sure if this is meant to be a warning for Clarke that she’ll always be alone but I guarantee she’ll make this realization herself and it won’t feel pretty for a very long time.
Again, John Murphy is privy to some heavy information and is setting himself up to be the most knowledgable character capable of really changing the futures of everyone around him. This has to be one of the more brilliant moves the writers have created for themselves as Murphy has made the unlikely (and initially unwanted) transition into a very complex and intriguing character. Special recognition is due to Richard Harmon for portraying the crazy and the pain in Murphy’s every action.
With all of our characters, both Grounder and Skaikru, now eternally linked by A.L.I.E. and The City of Light, it’ll be interesting to see the degrees to which the writers come down on a particular side. In true The 100 fashion, it will be a gray decision and one that, most terrifyingly, will likely see a drastic decrease in the show’s population once all is said and done.
Lexa was an amazing character on the show and not just for her relationship with Clarke. She was a character truly devoted to her people and a fierce warrior. She exemplified what it means to be a leader in this new, furious world and is a beacon for the demolishing of gender archetypes. Alycia Debnam-Carey’s work will be missed for sure. For now, we’ll all lament the loss of Lexa but also know that death is not the final wave of impact that we have on this planet.
“It is not vengeance, my brother, it is justice.” – Lexa
Check out my reviews of previous episodes of ‘The 100’ here:
Rap superstar Kendrick Lamar shocked just about everyone late last night when he dropped a new album, unbeknownst to the public. And it’s as great as you might imagine.
The album has the very fitting name, untitled unmastered. Especially since each track is simply called Untitled 1, Untitled 2, and so on, each with different dates beside them. Presumably, these were tracks left off the final cut of To Pimp a Butterfly, Lamar’s Grammy nominated album from which he performed “Alright” at the Grammys and blew everyone away.
Kanye can pontificate on his God Complex all he wants, Kendrick Lamar is the king of the rap game right now.
Yesterday the long-awaited Ghostbusters trailer exploded onto the Internet. The first trailer is here, and it’s not a teaser, it’s a glorious full two and a half minutes. The reboot takes place ‘thirty years after the beloved original franchise took the world by storm.’ With the original cast listed on IMDB for cameos, it’s likely this new installment takes place in the universe of the original movies. For a first trailer, this gives fans a lot to work with in terms of details, style, characters, possible storylines, and of course the ghosts.
The biggest thing that stood out in this trailer is the concept of ghosts now possessing people. It’s been alluded to in the previous movies. Ghostbusters (1984) had Dana Barrett and Louis Tully possessed by Gozer’s minions. Vigo briefly possesses Ray in Ghostbusters II (1989), as a last ditch effort escape his painting prison. This idea of multiple lower class ghosts having the ability to possess people brings great possibilities in terms of plot and character dynamics. The incredibly popular CW show Supernatural could have spawned this new concept. Supernatural has explored all types of human possession from angels, demons, and even ghosts with ectoplasm.
The Supernatural influence theory is an idea on appealing to younger audiences, but of course The Exorcist is the older and wiser pop culture reference. The Exorcist is one of the best ghost stories from horror’s high time in the 70s. These ghost jokes are for the adults too, not just the young hot things. Hopefully Paul Feig doesn’t go too heavy on the pop culture references, lest the movie gets scant on original material.
Now the direct translation of the Ghostbusters’ original characters to female version is obvious. Melissa McCarthy is the new Peter Venkman, Kristen Wiig is the new Raymond Stantz, Kate McKinnon is the Egon Spangler, and Leslie Jones is the new Winston Zeddmore. Now this is important, because it will be the rationale later as to why Patty Tolan is the only non-scientist in the troup. The Mary Sue wrote a succinct article on how the trailer portrays this. It goes back to issues I have re-watching the original films in how Winston has so little screen time. Leslie Jones looks hilarious on this trailer, cue hilarious The Exorcist jokes, but Patty runs the risk as a stereotypical character with how she’s portrayed here. Hopefully Patty has a great and complex character background for the audience to enjoy.
The trailer also gives audiences a shot at some interesting ghosts that reference the original movies. Of course with today’s CGI, the ghosts look incredible and weirdly different. It’s a thing that fans will have to reconcile with their nostalgia. Two ghosts stand out, the librarian ghost and good old Slimer. “He’s an ugly little spud isn’t he?” “I think he can hear you Ray.” There’s no Ghostbusters without that bright green ghost making a mess. Aesthetically, Slimer is the starting point of the new neon-coloured style Feig has chosen to take with this reboot. Having a unique and striking style in terms of the reboot will also help fans get on board.
Fans know the trailer came out yesterday, but did everyone catch the nerdy Ghostbustersfeaturette? Well this brings up the great mini montage of the new team’s updated technology. The proton packs look great of course, but there are also handguns, an electronic bear trap, and hopefully some other stuff audiences haven’t seen yet. This is where the reboot looks to take it a step up from the original movies. Traditionally, the science stuff in Ghostbusters felt incredibly dumbed down for the sake of the audience. This always felt slightly counter-intuitive in terms of the main characters as scientists. Ghost-trapping tech would be a great way to get into this without boring the audience. It also of course works to further the new flashy aesthetic.
Ghostbusters hits theatres on July 15 of this year.
