Netflix needs to work on their teasers, as they released another 15-second Character Artwork piece. They look beautiful, but there is no substance. With ten episodes there should be more than enough footage a new 30-second spot. Marvel and Netflix are playing the long game, and they want fans to crave Daredevil by March 18. A second trailer is supposed to drop on February 25.
The series stars Charlie Cox, Deborah Ann Woll, Elden Henson, Jon Bernthal, Elodie Yung and Rosario Dawson.
Season two of Marvel’s Daredevil will be available to stream globally on March 18 at 12:01 a.m. PT on Netflix.
Are you getting goosebumps waiting for season two?
Marvel’s Daredevil – Character Artwork – Frank Castle
Just when Matt thinks he is bringing order back to the city, new forces are rising in Hell’s Kitchen. Now the Man Without Fear must take on a new adversary in Frank Castle and face an old flame – Elektra Natchios.
Bigger problems emerge when Frank Castle, a man looking for vengeance, is reborn as The Punisher, a man who takes justice into his own hands in Matt’s neighborhood. Meanwhile, Matt must balance his duty to his community as a lawyer and his dangerous life as the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen, facing a life-altering choice that forces him to truly understand what it means to be a hero. (Source: Netflix)
Marvel’s Daredevil – Character Artwork – Karen Page
Marvel’s Daredevil – Character Artwork – Foggy Nelson
Marvel’s Daredevil – Character Artwork – Daredevil
We haven’t heard much from Rosamund Pike since she dominated David Fincher’s Gone Girl and nabbed a Best Actress Oscar nomination last year. She has a few projects on the horizon, including A United Kingdom where she’ll star opposite David Oyelowo. But for the time being, watch her lose her shit at the mercy of a strange floating orb in Massive Attack and Young Fathers video for “Voodoo in My Blood”:
The video is intense, and even in a five minute spurt it’s easy to see Rosamund Pike’s chops. Can’t wait to see some more projects from here in the near future.
The Oscars 2016 are fast approaching. Before the ceremony airs on Sunday, February 28, at 8pm ET/5pm PT on ABC, let’s look over a few moments of the Academy Awards trivia and controversies throughout the years.
In 2005, Uruguayan Jorge Drexler was nominated for Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Song for “Al Otro Lado del Río” in the film Diarios de Motocicleta (Motorcycle Diaries). All the songs nominated for the Oscars that year were to be performed during the awards ceremony. Beyoncé sang three of the songs, including “Vois Sur Ton Chemin” from Les Choristes, “Believe” (with Josh Groban) from Polar Express and “Learn to be Lonely” from The Phantom of the Opera. Counting Crows performed their song “Accidentally in Love” from Shreck 2, and while Drexler expressed his desire to sing his own song, the Academy decided it was probably best that more recognized people perform it instead. The guitarrist Santana and Antonio Banderas made a decent rendition of Drexler’s song, but he wasn’t exactly happy with the Academy’s denial, so when he won the award and went up on stage to deliver his acceptance speech, this is what happened:
If that felt short, at least he said more than two words… Patty Duke holds the record for shortest acceptance speech at the Oscars, even though Alfred Hitchcock’s and Joe Pesci’s have become more memorable. Duke won an Academy Award in 1963 for Best Actress in a Supporting Role in The Miracle Worker.
Opposite her, and despite the Academy’s 45 second speech acceptance limit imposed in 2010, many consider Matthew McConaughey’s speech during the 2014 ceremony the longest (over 3 minutes long), although that’s only in the last 25 years. He won Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role for Dallas Buyers Club.
The longest acceptance speech ever was actually Greer Garson’s after winning Best Actress in a Leading Role for Mrs. Miniver in 1943. Hers was 5 and a half minutes long, although some urban legends tell the story of her speech being over 30 minutes and close to an hour long.
And as far as speeches go, now we’re used to Oscar winners taking advantage of those few seconds to reclaim against wars, wage gaps, political issues, etc, even going as far as Marlon Brandon having a Native American activist go up on stage in his stead. But the best moment was during 1996’s award ceremony, when four-time Oscars presenter Whoopi Goldberg covered all those bases right away:
“I got [this gig] because I seem to cross so many ethnic and political lines… I’m an equal oportunity offender. And to make sure you don’t feel short-changed in the political soapbox department, I’m going to get it all out of my system right now.”
In 1984, Linda Hunt became the first person ever to win an Oscar for portraying a member of the opposite sex, and she’s still the only one with that title. She was cast by The Year of Living Dangerously director Peter Weir after not being able to find a male actor capable of playing the role the way he wanted. This was her breakthrough performance.
Eddie Redmayne is nominated this year for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role for his portrayal of Einar Wegener/Lili Elbe in The Danish Girl, but his win wouldn’t make Hunt’s list because there wasn’t any cross-dressing process involved for her part. Same reason Jared Leto didn’t take the spot in 2014. Cate Blanchett, however, could have made the list had she won in 2008 for her role in I’m Not There.
And speaking of nominees, everybody loves Meryl Streep. She’s by far the most nominated actor with 19 nominations (15 for a leading role and 4 for a supporting role). She has won 3 of those for Kramer vs Kramer (1979), Sophie’s Choice (1982) and The Iron Lady (2011). Katharine Hepburn comes second in that list with 12 nominations and 4 wins, but the second still living actress holding the most nominations after Streep is Cate Blanchett with 7 (4 in a leading role and 3 in a supporting role), but she already has won 2 of those for (ironically) playing Katharine Hepburn in The Aviator (2004) and her role in Woody Allen’s Blue Jasmine (2013).
Nowadays, it’s not possible to vote for Oscar nominees whose names are not on the ballot. But that hasn’t always been the case. In 1936, Hal Mohr received an Academy Award for Best Cinematography for his work in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, becoming the first and only person to ever win as a write-in nominee. The next year, the Academy eliminated the possibility for that to happen ever again.
What will happen this year? Will we see moments like these, which will go down in history, like DiCaprio winning his first Oscar? Will there be a record of speeches about diversity? Let’s tune in to ABC on Sunday to find out.
Now that Fastlane and its predictable finish (yes, Roman Reigns won…again) is out of the way, the fun can begin. WrestleMania is fast approaching and the WWE has injected some high-octane fuel headed into the biggest event of the year.
Shane McMahon Returns To The WWE
After 6 years away, having left the WWE in 2010 to pursue other interests, Shane-O-Mac made a stunning return to RAW. Interrupting his father, Vince McMahon, and sister, Stephanie McMahon, Shane stunned his family and a sold out Detroit crowd. Saying what many fans have been feeling, that The Authority is running the WWE into the ground, Shane alluded to having leverage over Vince and wants control of RAW. Vince makes Shane a proposal – one match, one night, Shane wins, he gets what he wants. Not one to back down from a challenge, Shane accepts and Vince McMahon announces what is a marquis match for WrestleMania.
Shane McMahon vs. The Undertaker. Hell In A Cell.
Now anyone who remembers Shane’s matches in the late 90’s and early 00’s knows that a match like that falls right into his wheelhouse. Shane McMahon made his mark with Street Fights, No DQs, weapons matches, and pretty much any sort of match with a high risk potential. In case you don’t remember, an upcoming column will cover Shane’s most dangerous matches and opponents.
Dean Ambrose gets beat down by, and then challenges Brock Lesnar
Dean Ambrose photo: WWE
Proving that he is nigh indestructible or just plain crazy, Dean Ambrose took a fair amount of abuse at Fastlane, then caught another surprise beatdown right before RAW, and proceeded to ask for more. Paul Heyman and Brock Lesnar are unhappy about what happened at Fastlane and lay the blame at the feet of ‘The Lunatic Fringe’. A video posted earlier Monday on WWEs Facebook page showed an upset Lesnar going after Ambrose and planting him into a limo’s windshield. Ambrose would return in an ambulance and challenge Lesnar to a Street Fight at WresteMania.
The (NXT) Divas Get Their Chance
The Boss, The Lass Kicker, and the Champion photo: WWE
After a fairly decent match between Sasha Banks and Naomi and some interference from Tamina and Becky Lynch, the current Divas Champion Charlotte would have words for both The Boss and Becky Lynch. Mocking their current alliance and showing off some new merchandise in the form of a new t-shirt, Charlotte would make it clear who the dominant Diva really is and that only one of them would get a shot at the title come WrestleMania. While Charlotte thinks that may be the case, what may actually happen is a Triple Threat for the Divas Title between Charlotte, Sasha Banks, and Becky Lynch, which would be pretty fantastic considering all three just came up to the WWE main roster last summer and will now be headlining the WWEs biggest show of the year.
The COO is gone, only The Game remains
After his friend was beat down, again, by Brock Lesnar, Roman Reigns had to put all that aside to focus on a match with Sheamus while the League Of Nations looked on. Reigns would win via DQ after interference and half a beatdown from Alberto Del Rio and Rusev but Triple H would show up to finish the job. Giving Reigns a beatdown reminiscent of his ‘Cerebral Assassin’ days, HHH would proceed to make Reigns’ head a permanent part of the announce table and then Pedigree him on to the ring steps. What looked to be a ‘just OK’ WWE Championship match now has the potential to be a lot more interesting if the story continues on this visceral path.
WrestleMania will take place on Sunday, April 3 at AT&T Stadium in Dallas, Texas and will be available on the WWE Network or local PPV providers.
Are you excited for Mania? What other matches do you think should be added? Let us know in the comments.
Julia and Maria Reis are trying to catch the monster with their band Pega Monstro, but their album ‘Alfarroba’ creates a creative monster.
The video below, ‘Não Consegues’ is taken from Pega Monstro’s new full-length album, ‘Alfarroba.’ With Julia on drums and Maria on guitar and keyboard, the band has full gritty sound, late 70s punk. It’s the exact sound that Richie Finestra is looking for in HBO’s Vinyl. The second track Branca gets under your skin and compels you to get up and dance. There is a groove throughout the whole album to where you can visualize Nicolas Winding Refn next film.
Upset! The Rythm describes the Portuguese sisters as having a dream-punk sound.
Alfarroba‘s vinyl is limited to a first pressing of 500 copies.
t-shirt do fernando travassos em toulousephoto by Blast radius photo
The last decade and a half has seen some of the best Best Picture winners in the Oscars’ history. It’s also seen some of the worst, thanks in no small part to the early few years of the millennium and a writer’s strike which undercut several more promising films. What’s amazing, in some instances, are the films that came in second place (I’m looking at you, 2005). Before we anoint another BP this Sunday for the 2015 year, let’s look back at what we’ve gotten in the 21st Century…
15. Crash (2005) – One of the more embarrassing nights for the Oscars came in 2006, when the power of Harvey Weinstein – and the lingering fear of homosexual themes in mainstream cinema – pushed the sublime and heartbreaking Brokeback Mountain to the side in favor of an overwrought, obvious Magnolia ripoff. You know all those things we use when we talk about racism in broad cliches? This film shows those things to us. Paul Haggis’s Crash is about as subtle as a punch in the solar plexus, an examination of xenophobia that a teenager could have written with more nuance.
14. Chicago (2002) – I don’t particularly dislike Rob Marshall’s adaptation of Chicago. The musical numbers are fine, the overall product is okay. It’s just not anywhere near one of the best pictures of 2001 or any other year. It makes sense however, that in the months after 9/11, a musical would win BP. It’s pure escapism, devoid of any reality, no matter how mediocre it may be.
13. The Artist (2011) – A charming look back at the silent era of film, The Artist is another okay film that picked up steam ahead of the ceremony in 2012. Oh, and it had a cute, funny dog. Much like Chicago, the film itself is fine, the performances are succinct, it’s competent. But tell me, when was the last time you thought about The Artist or sat down and watched it again?
12. A Beautiful Mind (2001) – At the time, A Beautiful Mind was a powerful experience. The story of John Nash (Russell Crowe, compelling) was an intriguing story despite the fact most of the darkest demons in the real Nash’s life were left on the cutting room floor (or omitted altogether). Time has watered down Ron Howard’s film significantly, with the notes of melodrama outweighing anything else. Regardless, I still admire the craftsmanship on display.
11. Million Dollar Baby (2004) – Much like A Beautiful Mind, in its day Million Dollar Baby was a compelling, insightful drama. Clint Eastwood’s direction was still strong (stronger the year before with Mystic River), and Hilary Swank captured the nuance of her dirt-poor dreamer. It remains a heartbreaking film, but like so many of these early 21st Century films, time has pushed the melodrama to the forefront, masking what we all remembered at the time.
10. The King’s Speech (2010) – Can we all admit now that this film wasn’t that great? It may have more heart and truth in it than the previous four films on this list, but in 2010 Tom Hooper’s film was unjustly anointed as the greatest thing to come along in years. The King’s Speech is dreary, narrowly-focused, and forgettable. Another one of those BP winners nobody bothers to revisit.
9. Argo (2012) – Ben Affleck’s true story is a thrilling survival tale capturing the essence of the Middle East in the late 70s. The story itself is fascinating, and Affleck nailed all the right notes to tell a thriller. The emotional side of things fell a little flat, but it was still a worthy nominee and winner. Over time, Argo may appreciate more than the other films around its time.
8. Slumdog Millionaire (2008) –Slumdog Millionaire is one of Danny Boyle’s most kinetic and complete films, a rags-to-riches story full of magic realism that the Oscars eat up. Time may have diluted the impact this film made back in 2008, but it’s most certainly worth a revisit.
7. The Lord of The Rings: The Return of The King (2003) – This one will surely get fanboys up in arms. I respect the Lord of the Rings films, I admire the incredible craftsmanship and dedication it took to get this trilogy up and running. But, much like actors sometimes winning Oscars based on their career and not necessarily the performance for which they’r nominated, The Return of The King felt a little like a make good. I get the allure surrounding these films, they just aren’t for me.
6. Birdman (2014) – The backlash against Alejandro González Iñárritu and his relentless campaign surrounding The Revenant has begun running downhill, all the way to his previous work. It’s hip to dismiss Birdman these days as too on the nose and aggressively thematic. I suppose it is, but does every film have to be a mystery wrapped inside an enigma? Michael Keaton gives it his all in the lead role, and the cast surrounding him is funny, touching, and yes… aggressively on the nose. So what? It’s entertaining and re-watchable. Sometimes that’s fine.
5. Gladiator (2000) – Like Birdman, Ridley Scott’s Roman epic is another film that’s hip to toss aside. I’ve never understood this sentiment. Gladiator is a pretty much a Spartacus remake at its core, but Scott’s world-building prowess is in full force here. His Ancient Rome is beautiful. Russell Crowe is convincing and a pure badass, and for some reason we all forget the reptilian greatness of Joaquin Phoenix’s villain. Sometimes snark blinds us all.
4. The Hurt Locker (2009) – 2009 was an important year for the “little guy” in Hollywood. Best Picture came down to the biggest movie in ever (until recently), Avatar, and a small independent film about the troublesome pathos polluting our soldiers in The Hurt Locker. Thankfully, the Academy chose the correct path and handed Kathryn Bigelow’s taut, focused, thrilling war drama the BP statue that night. The Hurt Locker remains as captivating as it did back in 2009, and it didn’t even have to use one giant blue person.
3. The Departed (2006) – Ok, ok, The Departed isn’t Raging Bull or Goodfellas or Taxi Driver, films in Martin Scorsese’s catalogue more deserving of BP. Can we move past that now? Those films weren’t nominated in 2006, and Scorsese’s double-crossing crime drama was. And it is a fantastic film in its own right, an energetic and fluid thriller with what is, for my money, Leo DiCaprio’s finest performance. It might be easy to rememberThe Departed as minor Scorsese, but go back and watch it again and tell me you still think the same.
2. No Country for Old Men (2007) – As brilliant as No Country for Old Men is, my personal pick for the BP of 2007 was Paul Thomas Anderson’s There Will Be Blood. Which came in second at the ceremony that year. 2007 was a great year for nihilistic drama and the Coen Brothers, Cormac McCarthy, and especially Javier Bardem among a cavalcade of powerhouse performances, created a seamless and beautiful thriller about the nature of violence in the hearts of men. One of the best.
1. 12 Years a Slave (2013) – The snark police haven’t gotten ahold of Steve McQueen’s slavery drama yet, but I feel like it’s a matter of time. When the undue backlash brigade sets its sights on 12 Years a Slave, I will defend it to my dying day. This is a heartbreaking, sometimes brutal, often times ferocious look at one of the darkest eras in American history. Chiwetel Ejiofor, Michael Fassbender, and Lupita Nyong’o captivate, and the final scene is one of the more emotionally cathartic experiences I have ever had in all my years watching film.
Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo’s run of Batman has been mind-bending, heart wrenching and enthralling. They introduced one of the supposed oldest organizations in Gotham, killed The Joker (TWICE) and placed Jim Gordon behind the cowl. Though my Bat-Bias is rather apparent, no matter your interest or your overall disapproval of the DC Comic’sNew 52 reboot, Batman has been one of the most enticing and exciting books on the current market. But changes are on the horizon.
In August 2015, rumors began circulating about a ‘change of the guard’ after Capullo tweeted his response to whom he would be willing to pass on the Bat-gauntlet. His response was rather specific: Snyder’s Wake(Vertigo Comics) co-creator/artist, Sean Murphy. Social media forums took this small statement and twisted it like a game of telephone. “Could this be the end of Capullo? Does that mean Snyder will be leaving too?”
The answer, at the time, was a vehement “No”. But that did not stop the whispers.
During a Batman Panel hosted by Capullo and Snyder at 2015’s New York Comic Con, it was announced that Capullo would be taking a short leave of absence to collaborate with comics-mega-star, Mark Millar, on a mini-series in the summer of 2016. His “temporary” replacement? Sean Murphy.
The promises that Snyder would continue and Capullo would return to Batman remained stead-fast through the end of 2015. Yet statements began changing shortly after the beginning of the New Year. With the accidental early press release of DC Comic’s Rebirth event (hitting the market this summer) it became more and more clear: as of issue #51 will be Capullo’s final issue and Snyder is only scheduled through #52.
BATMAN #51 is like a quiet love letter to Gotham – nothing big or crazy. Just the hallmarks fro @GregCapullo to draw for an encore!
The fan response has been on the heavier side. And many found themselves taking a long look back on the brilliant, New York Times Bestselling series:
Batman: The Court of Owls, The City of Owls (Vol 1–2)
The Court of Owls was nothing more than a bedtime story. A long-lost tale, twisted and retold, to scare children at night. But what if they were real? After Dick Grayson is fingered as the prime suspect in a murder investigation, Batman takes it upon himself to find the truth. But his sleuthing digs up more than a little blood in his own family history. He digs up dark and murderous truths in Nightwing’s past. As well as how deep the Court’s talons grip into the city of Gotham.
Suggested Additional Reading – Batman: The Night of Owls – The Court of Owls has brought the war to Gotham and it is up to Batman and his allies to stop them. (The book includes issues from Nightwing, Birds of Prey, Catwoman, Batwing and others.)
Batman: Death of the Family (Vol 3)
The Joker is back. In the worst way. He has killed, threatened and tortured those closest to Batman. But that was in the past. He has developed a new skill set. A face is just a face. Until it isn’t anymore. He even practiced on himself. Now, using some of the most dastardly methods to date, Joker invites Batman to a psychologically thrilling and maniacally planned dinner. The main dish? Batman’s entire family.
Suggested Additional Reading – Joker: Death of the Family – The entire family is invited to the party. But Joker has more than just hors d’oeuvres and fine cuisines planned for the evening. (Similar to The Night of Owls, Joker’s story includes issues from Red Hood and the Outlaws, Teen Titans, Batgirl and others.)
Batman: Zero Year (Vol 4–5, and part of Graveyard Shift, Vol 6)
Before The Joker, before Robin and even before the Batcave, there was a sad little boy. One who lost his parents and was driven into a state of vengeance. Under a cloak of secrecy, Bruce Wayne built up a persona of vigilantism. A shadow that meant to rid the city of the corrupt. Through fighting against those of the Red Hood Gang or saving the town after being plunged into ruin by The Riddler, The Batman was born.
Suggested Additional Reading – DC Comics Zero Year – Batman’s tale was not the only one to surface during the Riddler’s reign over a devastated Gotham city. The stories of some of DC’s best and brightest are only just beginning. (The Zero Year special includes issues from Detective Comics, Action Comics, Green Arrow and more.)
Batman: Endgame (Vol 7)
There were rumors that he did not actually die. Or worse… That he cannot die at all. The Joker has returned to Gotham. And this time he comes, not only with a new face, but with presents. For all of Gotham. Introducing a mind-altering “Joker Virus”, Joker attacks not only with the entire city, but with the Justice League as well. Joker is not playing games anymore. It is time for The Batman to die.
Suggested Additional Reading – Joker: Endgame – Joker’s virus is spreading like wildfire. From Arkham to Burnside it is infecting any and all of Gotham’s citizens. And Batman cannot fight the hordes alone. (The special includes the Endgame tie-ins from Batgirl, Arkham Manor, Gotham Academy and Detective Comics.)
Batman: Superheavy (Vol 8)
The hardcover will hit shelves on March 16th.
The Batman is dead. But his blanket of fear must remain over the streets of Gotham. It is time for a new Bat to rise. And the Gotham City Police Department know exactly how to keep the rouse. A police trained and sanctioned Batman: Jim Gordon.
One question I get frequently from customers, “What books are so good that you would pick it up and read it more than once?” Well, looking back on the convoluted trip that Batman has had since his New 52 debut in September 2011, absolutely Greg Capullo and Scott Snyder’s Batman. And I have.
Even with the ups-and-downs of DC’s New 52 reboot, Batman has stayed a strong contender in the industry. Snyder and Capullo have written/drawn the character into several unexpected corners. They have mixed him so deep in conspiracy he did not know which way was up. And more than one they have brought him back from the brink of death only to be throw him right back. They made the brave, and highly questionable, decision to have Jim Gordon take up the mantle as the caped (well not really) crusader. And they took the skeptics by storm.
They will be sorely missed. With the reveal that their final issue with be Batman #51, it is not the time for fans to mourn, but to rejoice in the time we have left and reflect on the stories they shared with us. And we should look forward to a future. Not only from the future creative Batman team, but for continued collaboration between Capullo and Snyder in the future.
Also, just handed brother @GregCapullo out final issue of Batman together (#51 – April). Big future plans together but still, bittersweet
For those looking forward to the still unnamed mini-series from Greg Capullo and Mark Millar, watch for the April 6th release of Millar’s upcoming series, Empress #1. In which there will be a teaser poster debuting the BIG name.
The title of the big @mrmarkmillar/ @GregCapullo project is 1 word & 6 letters long. Teaser poster in Empress #1 on April 6th.
And Snyder? After over five years on Batman, he would not simply walk away. Or at least that is what the rumors suggest. According to whispers, Snyder will be returning to Detective Comics, continuing his story of Jim Gordon-Bat. But these are only rumors. But we are crossing our fingers. Never know, with very few official creative team announcements, DC’s Rebirth event may bring some surprises.
On Monday it was announced Justice League Part 1 will start filming in April, later that night director Zack Snyder tweeted out a photo of him and Jason Mamoa from the studio with several props and costumes in the background.
Snyder’s tweet put the internet into a frenzy as you can see a Flash and Aquaman costume, and possibly a Nightwing costume. Other theories for the black suit include; Black Manta, Green Lantern, and a new Bat suit post-Batman v Superman. In the foreground, you can see an Amazonian helmet and suit for Aquaman’s wife, Mera.
The funny thing about the image is Snyder made sure to tweet out a large image, so super nerds can dissect every aspect of the photo.
Justice League Part 1 is directed by Zack Snyder, from Chris Terrio script. The film stars Ben Affleck as Batman, Henry Cavill as Superman, Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman, Jason Mamoa as Aquaman, Ray Fisher as Cyborg, Ezra Miller as The Flash, and Amber Heard as Mera.
Justice League Part 1 is slated for a November 17, 2017 release.
Not long before Digital Ash in a Digital Urn and I’m Wide Awake, It’s Morning were simultaneously released, I became a huge fan of Bright Eyes. In 2006, they’d release not a new album but instead, a compilation entitled Noise Floor: (Rarities 1998-2005), including songs from guest appearances or EPs or magazine giveaways. Was it worth it? Very much so. Of course, your love for the album depends on how much you love Bright Eyes and what Bright Eyes do you prefer. If you like the weird, experimental Bright Eyes, chances are you will find a lot to enjoy on this compilation.
“I Will Be Grateful For this Day” perfectly illustrates this. The song flows with electronic beats and beeps, mixing in some synthesized guitar chords and Conor Oberst’s rough vocals. It’s one of the most lyrically beautiful songs in the album, and the harmony that Oberst has attached to it makes it exhilarating. “The Trees Get Wheeled Away” is another winner, more of an acoustic piece closer to I’m Wide Awake, It’s Morning. It’s a beautiful, haunting song in any way you hear it, but I have to say that I prefer the arrangements I’ve heard in live versions. The rawer quality of those recordings and shows feels better suited for the song. There’s also the funny, bittersweet “Drunk Kid Catholic”, which is as cryptic as its title promises it to be.
But one of my problems with this compilation is the inclusion of “Spent on Rainy Days”, from a collaboration that Bright Eyes did with Spoon entitled Home Volume IV. Why? Simply because they didn’t include all the songs from that EP in here. Why not include them all? It feels like a very transparent ploy to make you buy Home.
Another problem with this album is that four songs are only available in the vinyl version: “Act of Contrition”, “Hungry for a Holiday”, “When the Curious Girl Realizes She’s Under Glass Again”, and “Entry Way Song.” Again, it feels like a way of getting you to get the vinyl version if you want those songs specifically, or getting the albums from which they originate.
All said and done, this is Bright Eyes we’re talking about, so if you buy it, you could come away very satisfied if you’re a fan, especially if you enjoy their older work. Haunting, bittersweet and unconventional, this is a collection of their most obscure but also brilliant work. I don’t think it’d work as an introduction for the band, but it’s a good gift for anyone who wants to go deeper into their catalogue.
It’s a new week, and that means there’s a new episode of the conspiracy thriller, 11.22.63. The second episode of the Hulu eight-part event series kicks off with a disturbing scene of Harry getting bullied as a child. We had already known this character had a troubled past. His dad murdered his entire family and hit Harry on the head with a hammer, giving him severe brain damage. We didn’t know his troubled childhood extended outside of the house, making this opening scene all the more impactful and disturbing.
‘The Kill Floor’ decides to take a slight turn from the main plot of the show and delve further into one of the side plots by fully dedicating the episode to Harry’s abusive father. I almost forgot that the show was about time travel, there’s an absence of reminding Jake that he is in the past. We don’t see the man with the yellow card shouting “You shouldn’t be here!” and we don’t see any weird effects happening when Jake tries to change certain events in time. It’s an interesting change that deals with a lot of dark themes.
Jake sets out to find the childhood home of Harry and prevent the murder of his family. The episode took place just days before Halloween night in 1960, the tragic night where Harry Dunning’s father kills his whole family and leaves poor Harry scarred for life. After little Harry is bullied, he walks through town wearing only his underwear and t-shirt. He makes his way into a small shop where Jake Epping is eating and writing some notes. Harry asks the shopkeeper if he can have his shorts that he stashed there so he can go to school. Apparently Harry gets bullied a lot. Jake sees the pantsless boy browsing some comics and realizes he really does need to help this troubled child.
Later that day, Jake goes to the local bar to find Harry’s dad, Frank Dunning. When he asks the bartender if he knows where Frank is, the bartender gets suspicious of Jake and starts asking him questions. Jake explains he’s from out of town, and someone told him if he stopped by that he should ask about Frank Dunning, the bartender then points him to a table and tells him Frank will be getting off work shortly. This is when we get a proper introduction to Frank. He comes out of the shadows smoking a cigarette, tossing it on the floor and approaching the bar for a beer. The bartender notifies him of Jake’s presence, and he takes some friends from work and walks over to Jake’s table. Jake being the average Joe and not the strongest man out there is automatically intimidated. They bond for a few hours over drinks, getting drunk when one of the men mentions how Frank is having troubles with his spouse. Jake says how he is divorced and tells Frank, maybe it’s best to walk away from the marriage. Frank gets upset and tells him he has no issues with his marriage and that everything is just fine in his life.
Jake finds himself in numerous sticky situation throughout the episode.
At this point, Jake is visually uncomfortable with the situation he put himself in, and Frank tells him he wants to show him something. They go on a long drive to a slaughterhouse where Frank brings out a cow and tells Jake to smash its head with a sledgehammer. Jake reluctantly grabs the hammer and is visibly nervous and almost mortified at what Frank is asking him to do. The bruting man tells Jake to imagine the cow is his ex-wife. Jake drops the hammer and Frank picks it up and smashes it into the cows head causing a gross splattering sound. Frank and his two friends walk out of the room laughing hysterically while Jake stands there absolutely horrified at what he just witnessed.
Without discussing the plot of the episode much further, the slaughter house scene displays how dark of a character Frank Dunning is. Jake realizes now he has to keep a close eye on him and even puts himself in danger a few times while trying to get Frank to be reasonable and keep the Dunning family happy. In true Stephen King style, this episode eerily shows that the charming 60’s time period we were introduced to isn’t always as bright and beautiful as we think it is. It takes some dark themes and executes them very well. We see that Jake isn’t afraid to alter time to do the right thing, or what he thinks is the right decision. Everything happens for a reason, right? Although we don’t see any weird time effects as he is altering the timeline, I can tell there are going to be significant consequences for Jake’s actions and might even make it harder for him to prevent the assassination of President Kennedy.
Next week we will be reviewing episode three, titled ‘Other Voices, Other Rooms’, where Jake will move to Dallas, Texas and make revelations in his investigation into Lee Harvey Oswald.
Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo’s run of Batman has been mind-bending, heart wrenching and enthralling. They introduced one of the supposed oldest organizations in Gotham, killed The Joker (TWICE) and placed Jim Gordon behind the cowl. Though my Bat-Bias is rather apparent, no matter your interest or your overall disapproval of the 
