Ranking the Oscars’ Best Picture Winners, 2000-2014

February 23, 2016

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 remember The 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.

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A Look Back: Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo’s Captivating Batman (N52)

Heather Hurt

February 23, 2016

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’s New 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!

— Scott Snyder (@Ssnyder1835) February 18, 2016

Jamie got all sentimental that I'm nearing the end of my run on Batman-Cried actual tears! I expect that from @Ssnyder1835 not @JamieCapullo

— Greg Capullo (@GregCapullo) February 14, 2016

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 16^th.

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

— Scott Snyder (@Ssnyder1835) February 20, 2016

For those looking forward to the still unnamed mini-series from Greg Capullo and Mark Millar, watch for the April 6^th 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.

— Mark Millar (@mrmarkmillar) February 17, 2016

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.

Never said I was taking Detective https://t.co/PzLWmpZdi3

— Scott Snyder (@Ssnyder1835) February 20, 2016

At this time, from a fan, a HUGE thank you to Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo. Thank you, so much, for the adventure!

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Sneak Peak At ‘Justice League Part 1’ Costumes

Matthew Sardo

February 23, 2016

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.

Deep in it with Jason on JL #Aquaman #JusticeLeague #Leavesden @PrideofGypsies pic.twitter.com/3BIgebQvHF

— ZackSnyder (@ZackSnyder) February 22, 2016

What do you see in the image?

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.

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Looking Back on 2006: Bright Eyes’ Noise Floor

Oscar Moreno

February 22, 2016

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.

You can get it right here.

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Review: 11.22.63 ‘The Kill Floor’ – New Characters, New Problems

Cade Onder

February 22, 2016

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 with sledgehammer — 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.

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Review: ‘The Night Manager’ Premiere – Up to an Intriguing Start

Elisabeth S. Contreras

February 22, 2016

Based on John le Carré’s spy novel of the same name and adapted by David Farr (Hanna), The Night Manager is a six-part series produced by The Ink Factory, BBC and AMC.

Over 6 million of British viewers tuned in yesterday for the premiere of The Night Manager and it was met with mostly positive reviews. The premise, very simple:

A night manager of a European hotel is recruited by intelligence agents to infiltrate an international arms dealer’s network.

The execution, fantastic. Danish director Susanne Bier shows how a classic spy story can become engaging – successfully bringing together smart writing, compelling acting, beautifully constructed shots and scenery, and the right music (composed by Víctor Reyes). The first episode of the series isn’t a mind-blowing start as it feels like it’s going to be more of a slow burn, but hopefully satisfying and definitely intriguing.

The cinematography (by Michael Snyman) and natural landscape stand out. It looks like the series will freely take advantage of the astonishing locations it was filmed at, such as Marrakech, Palma de Mallorca and Switzerland. Apart from that, something that became attractive was the fact that it relays heavily on close-ups in a way to make certain shots more engaging, not distracting.

It’s also not surprising how Tom Hiddleston shines in his lead role as Jonathan Pine, opposite Hugh Laurie as Richard Roper, who we don’t actually see much of in this first episode. The few brief scenes they have together showcase the subtle but surely present tension between their characters. We can look forward to seeing more of these two interacting and Laurie’s full potential as a villain.

Alongside them, Olivia Colman, Tom Hollander and Elizabeth Debicki complete the main cast, offering solid performances, especially Hollander, who’s given a fresh, sarcastic, dominant role among Roper’s posse.

The Night Manager has barely scratched the surface of its story, even though the viewers actually need to pay attention in order to follow it fully. It would be good for it to become more and more complex and especially for it to take risks, as well. For the moment, it hasn’t failed at capturing an audience for its first hour, but perhaps it isn’t powerful enough to draw everybody back in for a second episode… Only time will tell.

Pine’s personal involvement in a matter which apparently doesn’t concern him should come with more than a few consequences and a greater sense of danger. We need to see more of that, and I hope we will.

The Night Manager premiered on February 21 in the UK and will air starting April 19 on AMC.

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Review: ‘Girls’ Season Premiere-Back To What Works

Dewey Singleton - Film Critic

February 22, 2016

Lena Dunham and her company of twisted friends resumed their misadventures Sunday evening with the season five premiere of Girls on HBO. This episode was a shift from the melodramatic and more towards the character driven comedy that fans have grown to expect.

The episode opens with a stressed bridezilla Marnie Micheals (played by Allison Williams) and her wedding to musician Desi. For those who may have forgotten, the fourth season ended with Desi’s proposal to Marnie.
At first, it seemed that the episode was going to be like last season, full of melodrama and lacking in any comedic spark. It’s hard to forget the listlessness that was the whole Hannah in Iowa as well as the sheer tedium that was the whole long distance relationship storyline between Hannah and Adam.

However, this newest episode reintroduced to each character in all their flawed glory. Hannah Horvath (Lena Dunham) managed to take one of the biggest days of her friends life and make it about her by refusing to allow the makeup artist to do her job. Jessa Johansson (Jemma Kirke) managed to use some of the wedding prep time to make out with Hannah’s ex-boyfriend Adam Sackler (Adam Driver). Shoshanna Shapiro managed to turn every single topic about the wedding into how great living in Japan is (remember she relocated to Japan last season). Even Ray Ploshansky (Alex Karpovsky) managed to turn the day into his feeling of loss as he still has feelings for Micheals.

It was quite refreshing to see Lena Dunham get back to what has made Girls so acclaimed for so many years. Fans clamor to the show each week not because Hannah wants to be a writer (which was a big storyline in season 3) but to see how she was going to screw it all up. What bridesmaid refuses something the bride wants to occur before the actual ceremony? What bridesmaid goes out into a parked car and hooks up with her boyfriend an hour or so before the big moment? Only Hannah! What bridesmaid makes out with your friends ex-boyfriend outside a window where her friend could see them? Only Jessa! The characters on Girls are delicious trainwrecks just full of bad decisions. This episode was the most entertaining episode that I’ve seen in a year.

Even the wedding itself was in true Girls fashion. It stumbled through cringeworthy drama. One couldn’t escape the idea that perhaps the wedding symbolized change and growing up for the crew. That notion disappeared as we witnessed Marnie getting Shoshannah to tell Hannah that her boyfriend needed to leave. As Hannah said in the episode “It’s like an appalling rom-com that’s really obvious and not funny.” In short, the more things change, the more things stay the same.

So the episode left a ton of unanswered questions. Will Marnie and Desi make it as husband and wife? Will Jessa and Adam let the world know their true feelings? Will Hannah break Fran’s (her new boyfriends) heart? Will Ray and Marnie commit adultery? Will Shoshanna ever stop talking about how great Japan is? Judging by the tone of the first episode, fans will get to see a majority of these questions answered in what promises to be an excellent fifth season of Girls.

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‘Supergirl’ Hints At Lobo

Matthew Sardo

February 22, 2016

The 90s may have given birth to Deadpool at Marvel Comics, but the decade also gave a rebirth to Lobo at DC Comics, and it appears the latter will make a small screen appearance in the near future.

The Lobo character was created by Roger Slifer and Keith Giffen, and first appeared in Omega Men #3 (June 1983). Lobo is an alien and works as an interstellar mercenary and bounty hunter. Lobo was introduced – although initially rarely used – as a hardboiled villain in the 1980s, and remained in limbo until his revival as an anti-hero biker with his own comic in the early 1990s.

A few days ago CBS released a sneak peek at this week’s episode of Supergirl, and the conversation between Martian Manhunter and Alex Danvers sounds like they’re talking about Lobo, and they’ve dealt with him before.

Martian Manhunter: “We could be dealing with an interstellar bounty hunter.”

Alex Danvers: “You don’t think…”

Martian Manhunter: “No, no… if he were in town, we’d know.”

The conversation takes place at the .38 seconds mark of the clip.

What do you think? Is Lobo coming to town and if so, will it be this season?

Supergirl airs Monday night on CBS.

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Jeep Offers Special Edition “Dawn of Justice” Renegade

Matthew Sardo

February 22, 2016

Just when you thought you were passed the crazy marketing campaigns of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, you get run over by a Jeep Renegade promoting Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.

Watch as Ben Affleck tries to look as manly as possible in the tiny Renegade. Every time I say, Renegade, in my head I think of Lorenzo Lamas. Boy, the 90s on the USA Network were brilliant.

When everyone runs, a hero has the bravery to move forward, but only the Jeep Renegade “Dawn of Justice” Special Edition has the fearlessness to get them there.

The Renegade “Dawn of Justice” Special Edition goes on sale at the end of February and costs $26,250.

About Superman v Batman: Dawn of Justice

Fearing the actions of a god-like Super Hero left unchecked, Gotham City’s own formidable, violent vigilante takes on Metropolis’s most revered, modern-day savior while the world wrestles with what sort of hero it needs. And with Batman and Superman at war with one another, a new threat quickly arises, putting the world in greater danger.

Batman v. Superman: Dawn Of Justice stars Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Jason Momoa, Ben Affleck, Jesse Eisenberg, Gal Gadot, Jena Malone, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Diane Lane, Ezra Miller, Jeremy Irons, Holly Hunter, Michael Shannon, and Laurence Fishburne.

FYI:

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REVIEW: “Pride and Prejudice and Zombies” a flawed, but fiercely fun mashup

Felix Albuerne

February 22, 2016

Unlike 2012’s Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, which didn’t even try to adapt author Seth Grahame-Smith’s reverential approach to honoring genres while at the same time mashing them, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies attempts to retain its source material’s light touch in blending zombie horror with Austenian romance. The synthesis doesn’t work as smoothly on film as it did in prose, but enough of it works to provide plenty of bloody good fun for fans of both.

What’s it about?

Exactly like the original 1813 Jane Austen “novel of manners’ from which it liberally borrows, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies is set in early 19th Century England. Only this England and its living human population face the daily threat of zombies roaming the countryside, with once genteel, well-mannered neighbors and landed gentry turned into brain-devouring monsters with a single bite from someone infected with the unstoppable zombie plague.

In this version of the story, the Bennet sisters — Jane (Bella Heathcote, Dark Shadows), Elizabeth (Lily James, Cinderella), Mary (Milly Brady), Kitty (Suki Waterhouse) and Lydia (Ellie Bamber) — had as a part of their “proper” English education training in shaolin kung fu as well as bladed weapons and firearms as means of defending themselves against the undead. Their martial skills are a point of pride for their father, Mr. Bennet (Charles Dance), who wishes only to see his daughters made as capable of survival in the world gone to hell as possible.

But as in the original, Mrs. Bennet (Sally Phillips) has in mind to see her daughters wed to wealthy husbands of excellent social standing, thus ensuring their own security and prosperity, as if the world wasn’t falling apart with flesh-eating monsters popping up everywhere. To that end, Mrs. Bennet engineers an opportunity for her daughters to attend a lavish party at neighboring Netherfield Park hosted by the house’s new tenant, the handsome Mr. Charles Bingley (Douglas Booth).

While at the party, Bingley and Jane enjoy an immediate mutual attraction, while at the same time Elizabeth finds herself reluctantly getting to know Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy (Sam Riley), Bingley’s aloof and haughty best friend. In this world, Darcy is also Colonel Darcy, a well-known and feared zombie hunter of renowned skill and devotion to his duty, which often translates to him having little time and patience for social graces and niceties.

The party is interrupted by — what else? — a zombie incursion, and it’s during the ensuing battle that both Darcy and Elizabeth see firsthand just how skilled they each are at dispatching the “sorry stricken.” And so begins their difficult courtship, full of many of the same complications and subplots that make it such a classic in Austen’s zombie-free original, but peppered with the occasional zombie getting its head chopped off or blown off by a musket.

Faithful to the source

Chances are that if you enjoyed Pride and Prejudice and Zombies the novel that you’ll at the very least appreciate the effort by director/screenwriter Burr Steers (17 Again, Igby Goes Down) to faithfully bring to the screen many of the novel’s signature moments and dialogue. What was key to the novel’s delight is also key to making the movie work at any level: to retain as many of the familiar plot beats of Austen’s classic while blending in lots of bloody zombie mayhem as well as samurai and martial arts genre elements.

Steers’ script does deviate from Grahame-Smith’s novel in terms of delivering a different third act crisis, but it’s a justifiable deviation in terms of how it delivers a more action-packed, suspenseful climax, as well as an opportunity for characters audiences will want to see confront one another do so on-screen, as opposed to in the novel, where their resolution is told, rather than shown.

Casting makes it work

Also key to making any adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, mashup or not, is the casting of Elizabeth “Lizzie” Bennet. Originally, Natalie Portman was to play this role, but she stepped aside, retaining a producer credit for the film, and the production went with Lily James, who wowed audiences last year in Kenneth Branagh’s rendition of Cinderella. Thanks to that experience, James carries her every scene projecting complete comfort with the more formal dialogue one would expect from a film set in this era.

But what may surprise some is just how well she handles the physicality demanded by the film’s many fighting and swordplay scenes. Granted, the sword and martial arts choreography isn’t as acrobatic or aerobatic as, for example, the Resident Evil films or Chinese wuxia films where fighters are flying in all directions on wires. But there’s still enough in what the fight choreography demands here for James, as well as all the actresses playing the Bennet sisters, to shine and kick serious butt.

The casting of Sam Riley as Darcy also works, although he’s not given nearly as many opportunities to show off the swordsmanship for which Darcy is supposedly feared. If Pride and Prejudice and Zombies does have a flaw in regards to its delivery of action, it’s that the purportedly superior Japanese martial arts wielded by more privileged aristocrats like Darcy and his haughty aunt, the one-eyed zombie killing legend Lady Catherine de Bourgh, played with stylish and steely verve by “Game of Thrones” own Lena Leadey, gets short shrift. A little more Misumi Kenji and Zatoichi would have gone a long way toward granting this production some serious samurai swordplay cred.

Not entirely seamless

All this is not to say that Pride and Prejudice and Zombies is the best film you’ve ever seen from either genre. Its script has serious holes, and leaves plot threads that felt important throughout the film curiously unresolved. Watch for the Four Macguffins, err, Horsemen of the Zombie Apocalypse and where that particular plot thread goes for perhaps the most egregious of the film’s script failings.

It should also go without saying that if you have no patience at all for the sort of romantic plot lines and social commentary that characterize Austen’s work, then you may find yourself put off by seeing them play out here, even in the midst of katana swords clashing and zombie heads being blown off. If you prefer your zombie horror stories less arch and pastoral, stick to “The Walking Dead.”

Keeping the film’s carnage restrained to PG-13 levels is also a curious choice that may turn off hardcore zombie genre lovers. The difference is most manifest in the lack of blood — while there’s lots of rotting flesh, limbs lopped off and heads separated from shambling bodies, the amount of splatter from all that killing is markedly less than one might expect.

Worth seeing?

If you’re a fan of the novel and mashups in general, absolutely. The effort to keep this adaptation of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies true to the original material’s tone and approach alone merits attention and applause. If you’re just a fan of zombie films, it’s also worthy of your time, though not as much as other, more pure and serious ventures into the genre.

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies

Starring Lily James, Sam Riley, Jack Huston, Bella Heathcote, Douglas Booth and Matt Smith, with Charles Dance and Lena Headey. Directed by Burr Steers.
Running Time: 117 minutes
Rated PG-13 for zombie violence and action, and brief suggestive material.

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