Traditionally R-Rated comic book adaption movies haven’t fared all that well. After all, saddling a film with an R rating makes it more difficult for the under 17 demographic to get in the theater without parents. And really what self-respecting teen wants to see a movie with their parents? (Okay technically they could buy a ticket for another movie and sneak into the R movie but this still doesn’t help the later movies box office.) Look at this handy chart for reference to see how R-Rated films fare…
[table id=6 /]
None of these movies are what one would call a “box office smash.”
But then along came Deadpool. As of Feb 22, the movie has a domestic gross of more than $240 million. Making it not only the most successful R-rated superhero movie, but it’s also the most successful “X-Men” movie by far. And it’s sure to pile up more records.
Deadpool as created by Rob Liefield and Fabian Nicieza is literally made for comic violence. He’s the “merc with a mouth,” constantly wisecracking as he busts skulls. He breaks the fourth wall almost as often as he breaks bones. The comic character once compared himself to actor Ryan Reynolds years before Reynolds would depict him in a film. Yeah, it’s that meta. This humor makes Deadpool different from other violent characters well suited for an R rating. In the case of DeadPool, it’s almost like watching a live action Itchy and Scratchy. Yeah sure it’s violent, really violent. The violence is over the top and laced with so much humor it’s easier for the general public to accept, remember Gremlins? Plus with the Deadpool movie you’re trying to catch-all the puns which also removes a part of your mind from thinking, “Oh he just decapitated that guy.” Deadpool is successful because the violence fits the character and the humor makes it easier for non-traditional comic fans to swallow. You need these non-traditional comic book fans to flock to a superhero movie to make it a big hit. It’s great talking about the character with people who just a few months ago had no idea who Deadpool was.
Of course, Deadpool’s box office draw has caught the attention of studios. In Hollywood, nothing spawns attempts at success like somebody else’s success. Plus memories tend to be short or more concerned with what’s hot now. There is talk of the next Wolverine movie going for an R rating. Dawn of Justice will have an R-rated director’s cut. Who knows what others may follow? Gambit and Rogue, R? (Okay, that might work…)
My fear is when the movie money people look at the success of Deadpool they are going to be blinded by dollar signs popping in their eyes. They will come to the conclusion, “R-Rated Super Hero movies are gold!” and start churning them out. If Hollywood starts making a bunch of R-rated super heroes that don’t come with Deadpool’s humor they won’t do nearly as well at the box office. Which in turn will cause the knee jerk reaction, “we have too many superhero movies let’s cut back on production…” Which would result in a decrease in the general public’s interest in superheroes and that would be sad really.
Time to get ready for “Kiss me I’m Irish” paraphernalia and Shamrock Shakes (What? They are back already? Well alright!) because March is coming soon. This means Netflix will soon be getting a slew of new arrivals for subscribers to enjoy and you need know which of these titles are necessary for keeping your Geek Credit high. Time to dive in:
1. Groundhog Day (March 1st)
Sure Groundhog Day has passed but this classic Bill Murray comedy is great any time of the year. Watch as he gets stuck in a day over and over again and tries to find a way out. Also, he lets the groundhog drive and it hilarious every time you see it.
2. Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (March 1st)
Other than the one from 1938 starring Errol Flynn, this is film is regarded as the titular Live-Action Robin Hood movie. It stars the recently departed Alan Rickman as the Sheriff of Nottingham who goes all out and over the top in his performance as the villain.
3. Star Trek II: Wrath of Khan (March 1st)
KHAN! Yes, the movie which spawned a million memes, parodies, and was quoted to death is coming to Netflix. Is it truly one of the best Star Trek movies ever? It most definitely is so make it a point to check this one out. Oh, yeah and the first movie is coming as well, but this one was time the sequel was better than the first.
4. Scarface (March 1st)
Speaking of quoting a moving to death, “Say Hello to my little friend.” The principle of gangster movies starring Al Pacino makes its way to Netflix this month and if you a fan of action movies you owe it to yourself to check out this film.
5. House of Cards: Season 4 (March 4th)
Netflix’s multiple award winning political drama is back for its fourth season. Watch as Kevin Spacey plays Frank Underwood, who will stop at nothing to continue to obtain political power. Will Frank be able to keep his wife Claire from leaving him? Only way to find out is by watching the new season.
6. Halo: The Fall of Reach (March 7th)
Another entry into the films based on the Halo video game franchise arrives on Netflix in March. This movie tells the story of the main character, Master Chief first getting his armor and heading into battle to save humanity from the alien invaders known as the Covenant.
7. Marvel’s Daredevil: Season 2 (March 18th)
Those who haven’t taken the time t to watch the first Netflix Original Marvel series should just cut up their geek cards now. The first season was incredible and the second one looks like it will be pulling out all the stops. Both Elektra and The Punisher will be stopping by to make Daredevil’s life a nightmare fans will lovingly binge watch in the first day of release.
8. Pee-Wee’s Big Holiday (March 18th)
The return of the legendary child-like playhouse owning character has arrived. This time Pee-wee is going on holiday and meeting plenty of entertaining character’s along the way. Will it help to inspire more Pee-Wee films in the future? If not, Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure and all five seasons of Pee-Wee’s Playhouse are on Netflix for people to enjoy more of the character’s antics.
9. The Forbidden Kingdom (March 24th)
The main character might not be the best, but this film is a martial art film which blends Chinese Mythology and great fight choreography together which more than makes up for the milk toast lead. Also, it features a fight scene between Jackie Chan and Jet Li. Hopefully, you have been convinced enough to check this film out.
10. Yu-Gi-Oh: Bonds beyond time (March 31st)
Sure this anime series about a children’s card game isn’t an essential watch but this film really goes over the top with this 10 year anniversary movie celebration. Where else are going to have time travel and a villain who insists the card game will destroy humanity? Sometimes over the top entertainment like this is just what you want out of your anime watching experience.
Gotham is a quirky, darkish, fun take on the classic Batman mythoss. The show has been holding it’s own nicely on Monday nights with a 1.51 rating for that all-important 18-49 demographic. Fox will likely order a season 3, which should please viewers since Gotham has been improving with time; but it could improve even more.
Season 1
The first season had a lot of “is this character or that character the Joker?” and too much Fish for my tastes. Future Penguin and Riddler were around but they were a long way from the arch foes we’re familiar with. It seemed reasonable that Gotham City’s men in blue could deal with them. Of all the future arch villains only Zsasz seemed to need a Caped Crusader to take him down.
Season 2 – “Rise of the Villains”
The show spent time molding Oswald Cobblepot and Edward Nygma into the crime lord Penguin, and diabolic Riddler comic fans have come to expect. Tabitha Galavan has appeared, she’s not Tigress yet, but she is still far more than the average Gotham police officer can handle. Gotham’s version of Firefly has burned up a few scenes and it looks like she’ll be back. Now Gotham is adding Mr. Freeze complete with ice gun and Dr. Hugo Strange . All this combined with the already lethal Zsasz means Gotham’s going to need a hero and soon.
Jim Gordon is a war vet and tough guy but when push came to punch Theo Galavan handed him his teeth. And Theo is no match for his sister. This version of Alfred is badass, able to hold his own with Tabitha at least for brief spurts. Yet his best fighting days are behind him making him more suited to be the medic. Gotham needs somebody to instill fear into these criminals, a Batman. It would be great to see Gotham Season 3 time jump ahead three or four years giving the city a Bruce Wayne who is ready to go toe to toe with all who would do it harm.
Teen Batman?
Of course a Gotham time jump would most likely mean replacing David Mazouz as Bruce and maybe Camren Bicondova as Selene Kyle. Both of these teens have been growing into their roles, but the situation calls for a Bruce that is almost ready to put on the cowl. If not, Gotham will be in flames before Bruce is old enough to drive. Mazouz and Bicondova should have no problems finding more work. The show could even consider bringing them back in flashbacks. (Okay, maybe that’s just a CW show thing…)
The leap forward is very simple to pull off and explain. Bruce Wayne goes away for a few years to “school” in Europe. Of course, he’s actually training with the great fighting masters of the world. All the while Lucius Fox has been tinkering away with prototype devices funded by the secret division of Wayne Enterprises. Bruce returns to Gotham under the guise he is ready to attend Gotham University, but of course, he’s there to kick arch evildoer ass with guile, muscle, and technology. Not only does this make Bruce a more fitting partner for Jim Gordon it also allows for more interesting relationships with Selene and even Ivy who so far has been vastly underused. With a true almost Batman in the picture the creators could finally introduce the real future Joker. No more of this “is he or she (looking at you Barbara Keen) going to be the Joker?” Thoughts? [irp]
Long before David O. Russell would go on to be recognized for his award-winning dramedies, his sophomore effort Flirting with Disaster was released twenty years ago. The movie tells the story of Mel, a young man who’s just had a child and struggles with questions of identity because he never got to meet his real parents. Thankfully, a case worker has found out who they are, so Mel, his wife, their child and the case worker set out to find them. There’s a catch though: The case worker has found the wrong parents.
Much like the rest of O. Russell’s wok, Flirting with Disaster booms with energy from start to finish. Russell employs his ever-moving camera here, throwing in handheld shots that make the scenes come alive. But all this would be for naught if it wasn’t for the performances, and boy does this film have quite the cast: Ben Stiller, Patricia Arquette, Téa Leoni, Mary Tyler Moore, George Segal, Alan Alda, Lily Tomlin, Josh Brolin and Richard Jenkins. They all do a terrific, memorable job. Even those in small parts like Celia Weston and David Patrick Kelly leave a lasting impression. All thanks to the combination of terrific character writing and fantastic acting.
The movie is not only funny, but also surprisingly sweet. It’s not afraid to make things difficult for its characters but they’re all treated with love. The movie never feels as if it’s exploiting them in any way. The movie always ups the ante on the humor, delivering jokes that are more slapstick in nature and also ones that are outright bizarre, and completely hilarious. But there is even a little bit of thought in the movie; just like Mel we wonder: If we knew or didn’t know our real parents, how much does that shape us as people? At the same time, there are themes about fidelity, marriage and the legacy we leave for our children.
In terms of craftsmanship and storytelling, maybe Flirting with Disaster isn’t as well-polished as Russell’s later work. But it’s a very funny, energetic movie with great performances that you won’t regret watching. In fact, it may well be your next favorite movie. It’s one of the hidden gems of the 90s.
Penny Dreadful is one of those creepy, crawly shows that floats just below the pop culture zeitgeist. But this trailer for season 3 of Showtime’s seminal horror show might change a few minds:
This has always been a dark and fascinating show for anyone with even a little interest in the Universal Monsters Universe. Now, it seems, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde are in the fold, and season 3 doesn’t seem to care much about letting up.
There’s also this new poster, which looks incredible. Notice the skull…
Season 3 of Penny Dreadful, as noted above, will start on Showtime May 1.
Agent Carter aired another two-parter this week. Starting the night off was “The Edge of Mystery.” Altogether this wasn’t a bad episode: there were some heartwarming moments between characters, an exciting ending, and a few bits of solid acting as has typified the show throughout. And, now that the season is winding up–this is episode 8 of 10–it appears that the writers of the show have finally committed to its cast of main characters and its main conflict. Better late than never but let’s go over how good what we were waiting for was.
“The Edge of Mystery” started off with a touching flashback to a phone call between Agent Carter and Jarvis. This specific phone call happened during Agent Carter’s series premiere but this time we get to see the phone call from Jarvis’s perspective where before we saw it from Agent Carter’s. This flashback is used effectively to underline the negative effect that Peggy’s presence has had on the Jarvises’ marriage. Not only inspiring jealousy from Ana Jarvis as she does in this flashback, Peggy’s continued interactions with Jarvis have also left Ana with a gunshot wound in her gut and an ambiguous prognosis regarding her likelihood of regaining consciousness. In Ana Jarvis’s hospital room we see an uncharacteristically stubble-chinned Jarvis destroy a radio with his fist, frustrated at being unable to tune into Benny Goodman.
Peggy offers to get a new radio, a change of clothes, and some toiletries for Mr. Jarvis from Howard Stark’s mansion. When she arrives there Agent Carter runs into Chief Sousa, concerned at finding blood in Stark’s driveway. Peggy explains the events of the last episode to Sousa and Sousa tells Peggy that Frost demands the uranium she attempted to steal in “The Atomic Job” in exchange for Dr. Wilkes’s safe return. Peggy hatches a plan to provide Frost with passable fakes, and it’s suggested that they contact Whitney Frost through Joseph Manfredi, Whitney Frost’s psychotic mobster boyfriend, to arrange the exchange.
Checking in on Whitney Frost and Dr. Wilkes we see that Wilkes is being forced to compare notes with Frost on the effects that Zero Matter is having on both of them. Wilkes tells Frost that all he wants is to disappear forever and Frost tells Wilkes that she hears voices calling her. She admits to fearing that she is going insane. This was a pretty good villain/mad scientist scene between Frost (Wynn Everett) and Dr. Jason Wilkes (Reggie Austin).
Psychotic mobster Joseph Manfredi can’t please his nonna.
Peggy and Sousa over a relatively hostile lunch at Manfredi’s restaurant are able to convince him, by way of blackmail, that he should deliver a message to Whitney Frost. The message they send is that Peggy is willing to trade the uranium for the safe return Dr. Wilkes. Frost agrees to the terms of Peggy’s arrangement.
Back in Ana Jarvis’s hospital room, the audience gets to see another touching scene between the Jarvises. Edwin promises Ana a number of things, each one more extravagant than the last until Ana wakes from her coma. The damper on the good news of Ana’s awakening is that the doctor says she’ll never be able to have children. Edwin elects to keep this news from her.
Jarvis feeling his role as righteous husband demands to come along as the driver for the prisoner exchange and the team receives design specifications from Howard Stark for a weapon that may destroy Whitney Frost. Just as they’re about to leave for the exchange, though, Thompson presents Peggy with a redacted file claiming she’s responsible for massacring civilians during the war. Peggy dismisses the file as a forgery placed there by Vernon Masters to discredit her. Thompson, sick of being played, eventually decides to switch sides and confront Masters.
The prisoner exchange doesn’t go well. Frost finds out the uranium is fake and Wilkes turns on the team, holding a shotgun to Peggy’s face and demanding the location of the real uranium–it would seem that Dr. Wilkes has also switched sides. Sousa, unable to allow Peggy to be shot in the face reveals the location of the uranium to Wilkes and Wilkes hops in a car with Frost.
At SSR’s LA branch listening in on a call that turns out to be from Whitney Frost, Jack Thompson learns that Masters has been ordered to retrieve the uranium from the SSR for Frost. Thompson catches Masters in the act but Masters uses the memory erasing device from “The Atomic Job” on Thompson. Luckily, before having his memories erased Jack had written down the rendezvous coordinates given to Masters by Frost and the team is able to track the baddies down. Jarvis leaves a package with Rosie asking her to take care of Ana while he’s gone. Included in the package are a few recipes, some of Ana’s favourite items, and Jarvis’s last will and testament.
Then it’s off to the desert to stop Whitney Frost. Unfortunately, they’re too late to prevent the nuclear detonation and the rift opens spilling Zero Matter out and sucking Dr. Wilkes in. An enraged Frost screams at the hole in space that it should be her who is taken. Luckily the team is able to close the rift with the cannon designed by Stark and after the smoke clears, it appears that Dr. Wilkes is in one piece. Before anyone can stop him, an enraged Mr. Jarvis shoots Whitney Frost in the heart. Unfortunately for Jarvis and the rest of the world at large, Whitney apparently can’t be killed by bullets and survives without a scratch. All in all, an average day at the office.
My Critique
Like I said at the beginning of this article, I thought this was a pretty good episode. It was much better than part one of last week’s two-parter, “Life of the Party,” chiefly because in “The Edge of Mystery” the actions of the characters make sense according to their personalities. “Life of the Party,” on the other hand, was basically a reunion of past characters with little to no logic behind what went on in the episode. “The Edge of Mystery,” instead has a lot of elements of a good story: betrayal, lust for power, blackmail, revenge, and love. It also worked in these elements in a logical and believable manner … for a TV show about a woman who used to date Captain America, of course.
Iron Fist finally has a leading man in the form of Game of Thrones alumni, Finn Jones. He will be playing the titular character in Marvel’s Netflix show as the superhero who learns a mystical form of kung fu from the ancient city K’un L’un.When he returns to New York, he finds himself a stranger to the city, and decides to fight crime with his abilities. His adventures lead him to a member of the Avengers to fighting Hydra to becoming best friends with Luke Cage. He’s a fan favorite, and Marvel has kept his casting in the dark for a while now, so it’s great to see him finally get a live action interpretation.
However, there has been a lot of controversy surrounding the casting, particularly with the announcement of Finn Jones. Lots of fans have demanded Iron Fist be played by an Asian or Asian American actor, as it would help fight against the cliché “white guy enamors himself with oriental arts” stereotype. It’s true that the Marvel Cinematic Universe is heavy on white male actors, and it’s a shame that they’re only now getting to some of the more diverse characters from the Marvel universe. (Spider-Man reboot number 3 and the third Thor movie before Black Panther and Captain Marvel is and always will be total bull-crap.) However, it’s not like Iron Fist was originally Asian, and the casting department decided to white wash him. Iron Fist was always white. But, fans argue that this could have been the chance to break that mold.
The idea of having this show feature another white man play a character that we have seen a million times is growing tiresome. On the other hand, there are those who think that it’s offensive to cast an Asian actor play a martial artist, and reinforce another offensive and misleading stereotype. So, it’s hard to know what the right decision is, and it seems like no matter what, people were going to be upset (as is the age of the internet). I would have suggested something many other fans thought of, and have Iron Fist be an Asian American who learns about his heritage through his journey to K’un L’un, but still be a New Yorker. It would be a unique voice that we haven’t seen in most popular media.
That all being said Finn Jones is a decent actor, and shouldn’t be disregarded for being casted as Iron Fist. We’ll have to see how well he does, and the show could lead the way for more Asian characters like Shang Chi, or Colleen Wing. The Netflix Marvel Universe does have interesting Asian characters like Madame Gao and Nobu, and Cambodian French actress Elodie Yung is coming in to play Elektra in the upcoming season of Daredevil. It’ll be an exciting future for the Netflix Marvel Universe full of great characters with their well deserved chance to shine.
Ah man, who’s ready for a Heroes For Hire show?
Marvel could have taken a unique chance to explore a new voice, but they chose to stick with a simpler route. I think it would have been cool to see an Asian American Iron Fist, but I also think that the production company have a specific vision in mind, and we should wait to see what it is, before we make a full judgement. But, what do you guys think? Did Marvel drop the ball? Or are they going to release another awesome Netflix show like Daredevil and Jessica Jones?
Tom Hardy is bringing his special brand of crazed menace to FX with the new eight-part miniseries, Taboo. Here is a new trailer for the series, produced by Ridley Scott and his Scott Free studio:
Set in 1814, Taboo follows James Keziah Delaney, a man who has been to the ends of the earth and comes back irrevocably changed. Believed to be long dead, he returns home to London from Africa to inherit what is left of his father’s shipping empire and rebuild a life for himself. But his father’s legacy is a poisoned chalice, and with enemies lurking in every dark corner, James must navigate increasingly complex territories to avoid his own death sentence. Encircled by conspiracy, murder, and betrayal, a dark family mystery unfolds in a combustible tale of love and treachery.
This looks fascinating, if for no other reason than the presence of Tm Hardy who I would watch ride in a car for an hour and a half. Hey… I did that!
Taboo will hit FX in 2017, so we have a long time to wait…
The Ready Player One cast is coming together as Steven Spielberg and Co. near production. Tye Sheridan has been cast as Wade, the lead of the film, according to the report in Deadline.
In Ernest Cline’s novel, Wade is the protagonist of the story, a man consumed by the treasure hunt within the confines of the expansive virtual-reality world. Sheridan, whose breakout role came in Jeff Nichols’ Mud, seems to fit the mold of Wade’s online character, Parzival. Wade’s real-world persona is a bit heftier, but that shouldn’t be an issue.
Here is a synopsis of Ready Player One from the novel:
In the year 2044, reality is an ugly place. The only time teenage Wade Watts really feels alive is when he’s jacked into the virtual utopia known as the OASIS. Wade’s devoted his life to studying the puzzles hidden within this world’s digital confines—puzzles that are based on their creator’s obsession with the pop culture of decades past and that promise massive power and fortune to whoever can unlock them.
But when Wade stumbles upon the first clue, he finds himself beset by players willing to kill to take this ultimate prize. The race is on, and if Wade’s going to survive, he’ll have to win—and confront the real world he’s always been so desperate to escape.
Sheridan joins Olivia Cooke, playing Art3mis, and Ben Mendelsohn as the villain, Nolan Sorrento. He can also be seen playing Cyclops this summer in X-Men: Apocalypse.
