Studiocanal released the first trailer for Bastille Day, starring Idris Elba and Richard Madden from HBO’s Game of Thrones.
Michael Mason (Richard Madden) is an American pickpocket living in Paris who finds himself in the hands of the CIA when he steals a bag that contains more than just a wallet. Sean Briar (Idris Elba), the field agent on the case, soon realizes that Michael is just a pawn in a much bigger game and is also his best asset to uncover a large-scale criminal conspiracy in the heart of the police force.
Going against commands, Briar recruits Michael to help quickly track down the source of the corruption. As a 24hr chase ensues, the unlikely duo discover they are both targets and must rely upon each other in order to take down a common enemy.
The film is directed by James Watkins and Jill Gagé from Andrew Baldwin’s script.
On April 22 the studio plans to release Bastille Day in the UK. No North American dates were announced.
Your guilty pleasure of the day just arrived! Universal dropped the trailer for Kindergarten Cop 2 starring Dolph Lundgren and Bill Bellamy, Tuesday afternoon.
Don Michael Paul directs this direct to video sequel that hits your OnDemand service on May 17.
It seems like the Deadpool guerrilla marketing campaign hasn’t ended yet, a week after the film’s release.
Ryan Reynolds recently crashed the press junket for the upcoming film Eddie the Eagle, starring Hugh Jackman, a.k.a. Wolverine. He interviewed his former co-star, cracking jokes about everything from heritage to infidelity, and gently poking fun at the mishandling of Deadpool in X-Men Origins: Wolverine.
Thankfully, he uploaded the video to his YouTube page for all to enjoy:
With over 400 on-going and limited series titles racked on shelves on over 3,000 comic shops across the globe, the need for the PREVIEWSworld Catalog by Diamond Comics Distributors has never been more important. The guide introduces new comics, limited edition statues and exclusive toys. As well as announces first appearances and key event issues through direct to market solicits from publishers. For a large pack of paper, the Previews guide is one of the most important tools of the modern comics industry. Yet the Previews guide still seems to be one of the industry’s biggest secrets.
Over the past few years, I have been asked several questions both in store and online about ordering product. How we decide what product we stock. And why certain products are strangely unavailable even though it has only been on the market for a few days. And five questions, all of which can be answered with the Previews guide, have arisen over and over again.
1. Oh!!!! That statue looks cool! What are you looking at?
Well… The Previews catalog! It is over 700 pages, when including the Marvel Previews catalog (yes, they need their own catalog), of new and returning product that IS the expanding comics industry. It has everything: exclusive toys and statues, new comics both in new title and ongoing. It also has articles and interviews from within the industry.
It is the main tool in ordering product for the direct market (local comic retailers). The Previews guide has newly announced action figures and games. Plus new books with original solicitations direct from their creators. Solicitations allows retailers to better judge their total order counts for books. These solicits could be the difference between ordering the regular 5 copies of DC ComicsBatman ’66 #24 and 20 copies of Batman ’66 #25. Where the “Harlequin” is introduced to the 1966 universe for the very first time.
And, other than through main publisher webpage announcements and support from random comics new sites, the PREVIEWSworld catalog is often the best (and only) opportunity for smaller publishers to display their wares. Companies like Viz Media and newcomer AfterShock Comics use the guide to solicit interest. The products from these companies are only available for initial orders (explained below).
The arrival of a new the PREVIEWSworld catalog is incredibly exciting. New product, new books and, even with rumors or early release information, many of the items listed are making their debut appearance. It is always fun to be the first to know!
2. I hear the terms “initial order” from my retailer and “Final Order Cut-Offs” mentioned by creators and publishers all the time. Is there a difference?
Retailers have two opportunities to place orders for stock product. The initial order is based on the PREVIEWSworld catalog. The guide arrives approximately one month before initial orders are committed in Diamond Distributor’s database. Though “initial”, this can be the only opportunity to order from smaller publishers or pre-order most of the limited numbered statuary. For example, DC Comics numbered statues, which range from about 1,500 – 5,200, often sell out before their actual release date. Especially Harley Quinn product! Once they are gone, they are gone. Much of the statuary and many toys (that are not Previews Exclusives) are available to mass market companies like FYE or Barnes and Noble. This creates more demand but less product availability for your local comic shop. So the initial order can be the most pivotal.
The final order cut-offs are more directly related to final counts for book orders. These numbers include the subscription book counts plus any rack books needed from the larger publishers. Trade paperbacks and hard covers are also included in these orders.
3. When is the best time to place an order for a comic or statue?
It is best to ask your local retailer when they place their order. But, personally, the best time would be as soon as soon as YOU go completely through the guide. Many smaller publishers, like HeavyMetal, print-nearly-to-order. They may have just enough back-up product to replace damaged-during-shipment items. And many of the limited number items, like statues, are only available to the direct market during initial order. So the sooner the better!
4. Is it actually important to have a subscription service? And, would it be better to have an online subscription or an in-store subscription?
Absolutely! Even the Big Two are lowering their print counts. The best way to assure your copy (and variants) of a book, is to set up a subscription service with your retailer. Retailers only put so many “rack copies” on the shelf. If you guarantee them the purchase of a title, they can adjust their pre-order numbers to incorporate your specific needs. (And yes, most stores do offer a subscription option for the PREVIEWSworld catalog itself.) Plus most stores give discounts for subscribers!
When it comes to online versus in-store? It is really up to the each individual collector. Online subscription services have a wider reach than the direct market. They carry a larger variety of titles since most brick-and-mortar stores do not carry all 400+ series. And, depending on their size, can be cheaper. But, without standing on a soap-box, supporting local businesses is always my first choice. You get personalized customer service while also having the opportunity to inspect your books and check out news ones before purchasing.
5. Where do I find previews of this new *insert comic title*, and when will it come out?
It is actually in the title! The Previews guide will have early release preview pages of some of the most exciting new titles. It also hosts many of the first images of the Big Two comic covers and variants. As well as solicitations direct from publishers and the creators themselves.
The estimated release dates for comics are two months AFTER the release of the current PREVIEWSworld catalog. For example, Black Panther #1, which was announced in September 2015. It did not make an appearance in the Marvel Previews catalog until February 2016 and it has an estimated release date of April 06, 2016. Product such as toys and statues can appear as early as three or up to eight months in advance. Some of those items come from over-seas and the amount Diamond purchases are specifically based on initial orders from the market.
Though these questions only skim the top layer of necessity, the Previews guide is one of the most important tools for your local comic retailer. Understanding its uses and benefits can be the difference between fulfilling all your most nerdy needs and crossing your fingers that the toy you were looking forward to is not pre-sold-out. The next time you stop into your local shop make sure to ask about the PREVIEWSworld catalog.
This past Sunday was a rough one for the crew of The Walking Dead as Carl got shot in the eye, Rick had to kill couple hundred zombies, and Sam finally got killed off.
The folks at Lowcarbcomedy look to brighten your day with a four-minute parody of the first season of The Walking Dead. Take a walk down memory lane with Rick, Shane, Carl, Andrea, Daryl, Dale, and Amy.
Lowcarbcomedy’s ‘BigHead Star Wars: Force Awakens Trailer Parody’ is quite entertaining as well.
The latest trailer for Jeff Nichols’ upcoming Midnight Special is the best one yet, and the last one we need in my opinion. Nichols, who’s yet to hit a false note in his films (Mud and Take Shelter are both wonderful), seems poised to hit the next level of great new filmmakers with his fourth feature:
In the sci-fi thriller Midnight Special, writer/director Jeff Nichols proves again that he is one of the most compelling storytellers of our time, as a father (Michael Shannon), goes on the run to protect his young son, Alton (Jaeden Lieberher), and uncover the truth behind the boy’s special powers.
What starts as a race from religious extremists and local law enforcement quickly escalates to a nationwide manhunt involving the highest levels of the Federal Government. Ultimately his father risks everything to protect Alton and help fulfill a destiny that could change the world forever, in this genre–defying film as supernatural as it is intimately human.
Midnight Special stars Oscar nominee Michael Shannon (Revolutionary Road), Joel Edgerton (Black Mass), Kirsten Dunst (TV’s Fargo), Adam Driver (Star Wars: The Force Awakens) Jaeden Lieberher (St. Vincent, TV’s Masters of Sex) and Oscar nominee Sam Shepard (The Right Stuff,August Osage County). Rounding out the main cast are Bill Camp (12 Years a Slave, Lincoln), Scott Haze (Child of God, As I Lay Dying) and Paul Sparks (HBO’s Boardwalk Empire, Mud).
Now, this is ample. We don’t need three or four more trailers, clips and TV spots galore… Keep it at this, because anyone interested in Midnight Special is 100% on board.
20th Century Fox released the first promotional still to Shane Black’s ‘The Predator’ Monday evening. Black and Fred Dekker put together a script that is a direct sequel to the 1987 film in which Black had a role, Hawkins.
The only details on the movie so far are the tagline.
Batman Begins had favorable reviews, and had a strong presence at the box office, so a sequel was green lit. Nobody could have predicted how good the sequel was going to be. The Dark Knight was a smash at the box office and huge critical success that surpassed all of Batman’s previous film adaptations. It was a dark, epic, philosophical blockbuster that really elevated the genre even further into new territory. This isn’t just one of the best superhero movies ever, it’s one of the best movies ever made. And after nearly eight years the film still lives up to its own hype.
It’s an impressive movie, and its scope is even larger than its predecessor. While Gotham City in Batman Begins it still kept most of the action and climaxes in small, narrow set pieces that were little corners of a larger environment. Here, the film has its most exciting and dangerous scenes in large buildings, and streets, which makes Gotham feel bigger and more like a real city. Chicago becomes a diverse Gotham with expansive, beautiful buildings that make up a downtown area and intricate little neighborhoods that stress the grimmer side of the city. Chicago looks so cool as this completely different city that feels like a real place again.
The Dark Knight’s main influence is Batman The Long Halloween specifically with the Caped Crusader’s assault against the mob, and the fall of Harvey Dent into Two-Face. There are some elemental similarities to books like The Killing Joke for the characterization of the Joker. The movie takes place right after Batman Begins, and The Dark Knight is finally able to strike a devastating blow against all the mobs in Gotham with the help of Jim Gordon and district attorney Harvey Dent. However, the mobsters decide to go to a new criminal called The Joker to kill Batman. What follows is an epic battle between order and chaos for Gotham’s sanity. The unstoppable force finally meets the immovable object, and all hell breaks loose.
It’s hard to know what else to say about this movie that hasn’t already been said for the past eight years. I remember seeing it when it came out and loving it; I considered it the greatest superhero film of all time and would physically fight people if they had anything bad to say against it. Okay, that’s a bit of an exaggeration, but the passion was real, but after many viewings I stopped watching it as consistently; when I came back to it for this review I was a tad worried that the film just wouldn’t live up to my past nostalgia for it. Luckily the film surpassed itself yet again, because the film was not afraid to go further than any superhero film before, and to this day there hasn’t been a superhero movie like it. The movie’s biggest strength was creating a complex yet engaging narrative where a character like Batman could logistically thrive in.
The film’s story is actually told in five acts as opposed to the usual three act structure most movies hold themselves to. The Dark Knight is akin to Shakespeare with its intricate plot, distinct characters, and tragic themes. It’s not just Batman’s fight against the Joker, but it’s also Batman’s crusade against the mob, Rachel Dawes’ choice between Bruce Wayne and Harvey Dent, Joker’s wish for anarchy, James Gordon’s attempts to bring order to Gotham, and of course the birth of Two-Face. This is more than a Batman film, this is a Batman tragedy. And it’s impossible to not consider this film as an important movie for superhero adaptations. You can dislike it all you want, but you cannot deny how much this movie changed the game for the genre.
Christian Bale is back as the Dark Knight, and he does a great job balancing out the sides of both Batman and Bruce Wayne. He’s also given a better suit this time around that doesn’t look so stiff and hard to maneuver in. But, the real gem in Bale’s performance is the sense of how much he has on his shoulders in this world. In every decision he makes feels important, and has consequences. Consequences that he took into account, but had to make anyway. That’s unique and hard to get across in a movie like this. But, he still has the throat cancer voice, and it’s even more distracting in this movie. Partially because he uses for every situation he was in, even in the last scene where he’s trying to talk Two-Face down. It just sounds silly again, but the rest of his performance is handled well.
All the actors coming in from Batman Begins do a great job once more. Michael Caine plays that wise grandfatherly Alfred, Gary Oldman is the tough yet worried James Gordon, and Morgan Freeman is a funny energetic Lucius Fox. Maggie Gyllenhaal replaces Katie Holmes as Rachel Dawes, and does a fair job replacing her. Aaron Eckhart’s portrayal as Harvey Dent is handled wonderfully. Instead of being outlandish and overly “Jekyll and Hyde” he plays more subtle. The choice makes his performance less bombastic, but it also makes him more disturbing. It’s impossible to know what will set him off. Since he’s so quiet, calm, and dry when he’s Harvey Dent, and even when he’s Two-Face it becomes more shocking and terrifying when he loses it on someone. It feels like they could have really used him for the next film, but The Dark Knight probably wouldn’t have worked if he lived.
However, the performance of a lifetime that steals the show is Heath Ledger’s Joker. Not only is his Joker funny, outlandish, and a ton of fun to watch, but he is terrifying. His appearance, and demeanor just captivate any audience. It’s not just the big acts of murder and mayhem, but it’s the subtle touches that makes him so fascinating. The changes in his voice, the licking of his lips, and even how he breathes is Joker incarnate. He blows Jack Nicholson out of the water, and even though Jared Leto looks like he’s going to bring something unique to the table as the Clown Prince of Crime, it’s doubtful he’ll ever be as good as Ledger. It’s a shame that he passed away, because we really lost a treasure. Seeing him embody fiction’s greatest villain is fantastic, and wonderfully terrifying.
While the film has a unique and complex story, it’s not without flaws. The long-winded overly philosophical speeches are back and they don’t really help the story at times. The characters are rarely conversational in a natural way. They all have long drawn out intricate spews of dialogue that don’t make the characters sound like real people. Now there could be an argument made that the dialogue makes the characters more Shakespearean, but since Nolan and co. were trying to go for realism it just comes off as strange. The philosophical nature is certainly interesting, but it doesn’t really serve the characters. It’s actually the other way around, and that’s when the film stops becoming a true adaptation of Batman, and more an adaptation of Batman and Philosophy. It’s not bad at all, in fact it’s amazing, but it’s not really Batman.
However, everything else about the movie is almost perfect. The epic scale is upped considerably, the action scenes are fantastic and much better than the shaky cam extravaganza in Batman Begins, and every actor just brings their best to this movie. It’s still one of the greatest movies ever made, and is definitely still worth your time. If you haven’t seen it yet, then I envy you, because I would love to watch this for the first time again. And if you have seen it (which, let’s be honest, most of you have) then watch it again. It’s definitely worth your time.
Next time “Road to Batman V Superman” finds itself at the most controversial superhero movie ever made. Get ready for the comment war of a lifetime as we examine Superman’s second attempt at a come back, Man of Steel.
“With All That Divides Us Today, Our Shared Love Of Music Unites Us”
After music’s biggest evening, the 58th annual Grammys had controversy, tribute performances, and surprise winners. There was Lady Gaga’s Bowie tribute & Taylor Swift calling out Kanye! Don’t forgot that Hamilton stole the show with a stunning Broadway performance! All the biggest musical artist in the world in one room, this year’s Grammys has social media & the morning shows buzzing.
Below are some of the most talked about moments from the 2016 Grammy Awards:
10. Adele
-Hyped during EVERY commercial leading up to this year’s Grammys, Adele finally made her return to the stage with a stirring new song called “All I Ask”. An audio error in the beginning of the performance didn’t stop this number from being another powerful performance from Adele. Many expected to hear the popular song “Hello” but the English songstress took this chance to showcase another ballad from her album ’25’.
9. Song of the Year: “Thinking Out Loud”by Ed Sheeran
-Surprising Ed Sheeran himself, the ginger singer/songwriter took home the award for ‘Song Of The Year‘; seemingly leaving his ‘BFF’ Taylor Swift far happier than he was. Sheeran humbly accepted the award after a very real rant from presenter Stevie Wonder. Ed would later introduce Lady Gaga for her David Bowie tribute.
8. Various Tributes -From The Eagles to Lionel Richie, there was no shortage of performances dedicated to other artist. The Grammys even somehow managed to awkwardly fit a Michael Jackson tribute in there before the award for ‘Best Rock Performance‘. Lionel Richie joined John Legend, Demi Lovato, Luke Bryan, Meghan Trainor, and Tyrese Gibson in a fun melody of his biggest hits. The Eagles remembered the late Glenn Frey with Bernie Leadon & Jackson Browne. There was also tributes to Motorhead’s Lemmy as well as B.B. Kingand Maurice White from Earth, Wind, And Fire.
7. Best New Artist: Meghan Trainor -Presented by last year’s ‘Best New Artist’ winner Sam Smith, Meghan Trainor joins the likes of Sade, Mariah Carey, and Adele as a winner in this category. The pop artist couldn’t hold back the tears as tried to make her way through her acceptance speech. One of the most genuinely touching reactions of the evening, Trainor followed up a big year of popular songs by adding a Grammy to her collection.
6.Gwen Stefani’s Live Music Video
-The iconic Gwen Stefani acted out, filmed, and live broadcasted the music video for her newest single “Make Me Like You“. Dubbed the first-ever live music video, Stefani collaborated with American super-store Target to bring to life her newest song during a 4-minute commercial break.
5. Broadway Show ‘Hamilton’ Steals The Entire Grammys! -The hottest thing in New York right now is Hamilton, the Broadway production about founding father Alexander Hamilton. The show also became one of the hottest moments of the entire Grammy evening. With one of the best speeches of all time for their win of ‘Best Musical Theater Album‘ to their special broadcast, the cast of Hamilton proved to everyone why their show has been sold-out until 2018! The stunning performance of title song “Alexander Hamilton” will only draw more attention to the already hyped show; I’m sure tickets will be sold out till about 2020 now…
4.Kendrick Lamar Performs ‘Alright’ & Wins ‘Best Rap Album’ -Winning the first award of the night for ‘Best Rap Album‘; Kendrick Lamar walked away with the win for his work on ‘To Pimp A Butterfly‘, a powerful hip-hop album that won over critics and listeners. Following 5 wins, Kendrick then took a note from Hamilton & delivered one of the most theatrical performances of the entire night. With multiple sets and amazing cinematography, Lamar stunned with a performance that will be surely be remembered throughout Grammy history.
3. Lady Gaga’s David Tribute Performance -One of the longest performances, Lady Gaga brought the house down with a visual masterpiece in tribute to the late David Bowie. By the end of the performance, everyone was standing on their feet giving the bizarre Lady the praise she earned. Gaga performed 9 of Bowie’s biggest hits while floated around the stage changing her look with ease. After singing the ‘National Anthem‘ at The Super Bowl, Gaga followed it up with this number; another talked moment of hers for years to come.
2.Taylor Swift’s ‘1989’ Wins ‘Album Of The Year’ -The first women to win ‘Album Of The Year‘ twice, Taylor Swift took home the biggest award of her career. Her album ‘1989′ was the conclusion of her transition from country gem to pop superstar so winning this award makes sense. While many were rooting for Kendrick Lamar, Taylor earned this win. She also took the moment to make a very obvious dig at Kanye West following his claim he “made Taylor Swift famous”.
1. Biggest Award Of The Night: Uptown Funk Wins ‘Record Of The Year’
-If you’ve listened to the radio in the past year, you knew that “Uptown Funk” was one of the biggest songs of the year. The record was so big that it took home the final award of the night! While their celebration was cutoff due to time restrictions, it doesn’t take away from Bruno Mars and Mark Ronson getting the award for making an unstoppable pop anthem!
What was your favorite moment from the 2016 Grammys?! Did Gaga make you go gaga?! Do you agree with Uptown Funk being the biggest record of the year? On a scale from Tori Kelly to Taylor Swift, how excited are you for other peoples wins?
Luke Oliver, a 21-year-old Marvel fan is set to ask the Regina City Council in the next two weeks to build a statue honoring Regina’s biggest celebrity, Wade Wilson (Deadpool).
Now before the question comes up about whether or not he’s serious, check out what he said to Regina’s hometown newspaper.
“We don’t have much here and for something as big as a Marvel superhero to say he’s from here, that’s what I like most about it now,”
He’s directed his petitions (yes, he has two of them going at the same time) at city council because he felt that the statue could be built on city property. Oliver believes the statue could appeal to a wide array of people.
“There’s kids all over the world who love Deadpool,” Oliver said.“They all love Spiderman, they all love Batman, who, Batman alone, while not R-rated movies, but they’re dark. It’s always been a darker character and kids dress up as him for Halloween. So everybody loves superheroes.”
Oliver claims that Regina residents have already offered to help build the statue if approved by the city council. As for the cost of the 6ft statue, that would be around $35,000. He expects resistance to the idea of using tax dollars for this, so Oliver isn’t opposed to doing a Kickstarter or gofundme campaign as well.
