HBO just released a plethora of images from the upcoming season of Game Of Thrones. Out of all these pictures, two of them were not released to the press but were found on HBO’s “Making of Game Of Thrones Blog.” Check these two images out.
So what’s the big deal about these pictures? Well, it looks as if Sansa is now pregnant and if that is the case, then she’s pregnant with Ramsay Bolton’s baby. We all recall the brutal scene in season 5 where Sansa was sexually assaulted by Ramsay on their wedding night. HBO received many complaints about that scene to the point where they have claimed that season 6 will be slightly muted.
If she is pregnant, then that will open a whole other discussion about whether she should keep the child. It wouldn’t be a shock to anyone if she were bearing a Bolton child as it is just the type of plot twist we’ve grown to expect from Game of Thrones.
Last night The Walking Dead returned to AMC with a pivotal episode, if you’ve read the books, the episode hit all the notes needed, but there wasn’t emotion behind a single one.
If you haven’t watched last night’s episode, please stop reading as the ending will be spoiled.
Here is what the ‘No Way Out’ episode needed to accomplish visually; Sam needed to get caught by zombies, Jessie needed to get her arm chopped off, Carl needed to get shot in the eye, and Rick needed to kill all the zombies.
The episode achieved all those moments, but the show didn’t build up to those moments with backstory and or dialogue and the episode came up flat.
The ‘No Way Out’ storyline in the comics is a redemption tale. Rick is in a protect your own state of mind. He wants to get Carl, Ron, and Jessie out of Alexandria with no cares of the others. When Ron gets caught by the zombies, Rick begs Jessie to let go of Ron, and when she gets caught and tries to pull Carl with her, Rick cuts her arm off without any hesitation. The build up of that moment is huge, and the look on Jessie’s face, when she is left to die, is epic. Rick establishes that the only one worth saving is Carl. All of these events and emotions are conveyed in less than three pages of a comic book, but they are so powerful.
Then Carl gets struck in the eye by a bullet. Rick rushes him to the infirmary. He realizes that in order for Carl to have a chance to recover from his injuries, Rick needs to defend the house from the zombie hoard. In the comics, Rick has one hand and still goes out and destroys the zombies. This inspires the rest of Alexandria to pick arms and fight for their town. The group defeats all the zombies and Rick realizes there is hope for society. As a team, they can accomplish way more than individuals.
This is a significant turning point in the comics which builds up backstory leading up to the first meeting with Negan.
Since the cannibal storyline, the AMC version of The Walking Dead has failed to convey the emotional weight that Robert Kirkman’s writing delivers. In the first part of the Alexandria story, Rick’s group are the villains. There was never a moment in the show when you’re like, ‘Oh shit! Rick is the bad guy in this story,’ but that is what you said reading the book. Kirkman’s writing has a way of leading you in one direction and then flipping the story on its head.
The ‘No Way Out’ episode should have been expanded to a multi-part episode to give the situation gravitas. Instead, it felt rushed, and the sad part of it is that minor script tweaks could have vastly improved the episode, see the comic below.
At best the episode is left vague and open to interpretation.
One possibility for the rush job on the plot thread is showrunner Scott M. Gimple feels pressure to get to the Negan storyline to drive ratings.
What are your thoughts on the AMC’s version of the ‘No Way Out’ storyline?
Valentine’s Day is not always the most super fun and romantic holiday of the year. Sometimes it can be the most emotionally and mentally strenuous. Popular kids get all the attention, all the gifts and all the laughs. So when will the normal girls get their chance? When will Jonesy get her chance? In Boom! Studio’s new Jonesy #1, Jonesy will make sure she has her heart-filled day or she will make it her mission to create the perfect Valentine’s Day revenge.
After receiving only one measly carnation from her school’s Valentines fundraiser event, Jonesy finds herself the butt of the popular girls’ jokes. She may not be the smartest or most beautiful, but she does not deserve to be ridiculed. So Jonesy decides to take Valentine’s Day into her own hands. Using her special, super secret, magical ability, she will get her revenge. Even if it is the last thing she does… Today!
Sam Humphries and Caitlin Rose Boyle’s Jonesy #1 has all the elements of the early-teen comedy. Cute, romantic gestures, silly Anime references and ends with an important moral that teaches some random lesson that creates a new friendship or builds a stronger character. Though not always the first pick-up for the mature reader, these small pieces make it a perfect pick up for the pre-teen to mid-20’s readers.
Humphries (Weirdworld) writes a character so innocent that you cannot help but love her. Yet so maniacal that you will find yourself tapping your fingers and chuckling a-la-Mr.-Burns as Jonesy goes about her dastardly deeds. Humphries truly captures the nature of the modern young-teen girl through language and attitude. Jonesy is proud of her individuality yet secretly wishes for camaraderie and appreciation by those considered “popular”. She watches anime and even creates “ships” between her favorite characters, just like any other teen romantically devoted to a television series. Oh! And she has a magic power.
With colorist Mickey Quinn, Caitlin Rose Boyle designs a world of popping colors, fluffy hair and huge, expressive eyes. Similar to the circular art mannerisms of Cartoon Network’sAdventure Time or Steven Universe, Boyle plays with youthful animation that keeps the audience’s eyes on each character’s faces, gestures and emotions. This lessens the need for attention on the backgrounds and any extra bits irrelevant to the main story. You read the book as it is and not speculate what it could be.
The colors are direct: the blues are blues, the pinks are pink. There is no over-the-top sexual objectification, no oddly shaped features or unbelievable characteristics. There is far less contextualizing and effects within the art. But this book was never made for the snooty art critic. Jonesy was created for the young reader and young-reader-at-heart. Those who wish to enjoy a book for its simplicity yet relatable(ish) storytelling.
Boom! Studios has brought us Jonesy #1, an adorable new Valentines story that will have you plotting super cute revenge and falling in love in the most unexpected ways. Though this story may not reverberate strongly among a portion of the older comics clientele, Jonesy is a cute foray that can be picked up comfortably by those young and young-at-heart.
Make sure to stop by your local comics retailer and pick up Jonesy #1.
Wow, The Walking Dead really knows how to make an entrance. This week’s mid-season premiere treated viewers to a whole lot of hacking, slashing, shooting, and even a rocket launcher. The end of the episode sees Alexandria saved – Rick rallied everyone in town to attack the invading Walkers, and with the help of Daryl’s squad returning, they managed to kill all the Walkers while sustaining no casualties.
Which is incredible – and downright unbelievable – when you consider just how many people died while walking hand-in-hand. Basically, Rick’s whole new family just bit the dust – or rather, were bitten by dusty, dirty zombie creatures. Sam and Jessie both got eaten, which really made Ron testy and trigger-happy. So Ron shoot Carl’s eye out, and Michonne turns Ron into a brat-kebab. All this death is concentrated in the first half of the episode, along with the death of Wolf-Man. Denise managed to get away from Wolfy, as Aaron and those other Alexandrians you probably forgot about come to her aid. Glenn, who apparently is immortal, nearly got torn apart, until Abraham, aka “The Human Dumpster Glenn Climbed Under,” starts shooting. Even the creepy new Negan squad introduced post-credits last season only got a scene of screen-time before Daryl blew them up. Don’t get me wrong, it was awesome when Daryl blew them up. But why make their entrance so mysterious if they didn’t even last for ten minutes?
Maybe “favoritism” is the wrong word. But this is a The Walking Dead episode where only new characters die, while returning characters get off mostly unscathed. Carl did lose an eye, but Ron has lost his father, mother, brother, and inner organs in under one season. Meanwhile, you have a lot of characters charge into a crowd of vicious man-eaters and only break a sweat. Even Father Gabriel, a noted wuss, manages to totally escape harm while carrying a baby (though clearly the show wants us to care more about him, so he’s likely dying in the near future). But especially as Rick praises the fighters of Alexandria in the final scene, it makes me wonder how they seem so disposable to the writers. Maybe these deaths are just to prepare us for the heavier ones Norman Reedus hinted at. Maybe it’s just to thin the herd a bit for Negan to run through more opponents. But it seems shocking that, out of all the people who could have died, it wasn’t those fighting for their lives, but those slowly walking through a group with a strategy that never seems to work the way it’s supposed to.
As far as what’s next for this The Walking Dead half-season, it seems the gang is determined to stay in Alexandria, so there will be even more wall-building than before. Somehow Negan’s gonna have to stumble across his exploded friends in order to be a threat, but with all the hype around his entrance, I’m sure that won’t take long. Now that Rick actually cares about the Alexandrians, he’ll likely shake up his “let them die hanging on wires” policies, but will the people follow him now that they’ve seen him go crazy hatchet Hulk on Walkers? Leave any of your predictions in the comments below, and also let me know if any of you will miss Gabriel.
This piece was entitled for concision. Its longer, more accurate title would be “Why Captain America: Civil War is a Bigger Deal for the MCU than Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice is for the DCEU.” This is not about which flick has higher anticipation, box office numbers, or Rotten Tomato scores. This is not about which will be the better picture. 2016 is going to be a huge year for the superhero genre, and no two movies are going to be “bigger” than these two. This is an argument that Civil War plays a much larger role in the overall story of the Marvel Cinematic Universe than Dawn of Justice does for its respective universe.
In terms of building suspense, Warner Brothers and DC Entertainment could have handled their upcoming film much better. The companies have everything to lose; this is the bedrock of their shared universe. The plot isn’t even the issue at hand. Sure, it’s a cliché: heroes meet, they fight briefly, they come to an understanding. Even so, it still has the potential to be a great blockbuster. The real missed opportunity is on a much larger scale: the way they’ve incorporated the Justice League.
Fans expected nothing when Iron Man came out in 2008; it was just a new standalone comic book adaption. But everything changed when Nick Fury appeared after the credits to discuss the “Avengers Initiative.” Suddenly, there was curiosity, anticipation, and excitement over what was to come. Dawn of Justice may have a similar post-credits stinger, one that reveals a city under the sea, or shows a red streak zip through Central City. That would be amazing, but it wouldn’t have the same effect as the “Avengers Initiative” reveal.
DC has already announced a full slate of films from 2017 through 2020 (Aquaman, Flash, Wonder Woman, Cyborg, Shazam, Green Lantern Corps, a Justice League two-parter, and a number of still unnamed projects). Fans know what’s coming; the suspense is gone. The DC Extended Universe has virtually nothing at stake with Batman v Superman.
This moment from the trailer emphasizes the point. Wonder Woman would have been an epic reveal to see in a theater.
The MCU, on the other hand, has everything at stake with the upcoming Captain America. Take a look at Marvel Studio’s slate for Phase 3, post-Civil War:
Doctor Strange – November 4, 2016
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 – May 5, 2017
Untitled Spider-Man film – July 7, 2017
Thor: Ragnarok – November 3, 2017
Black Panther – February 16, 2018
Avengers: Infinity War – Part 1 – May 4, 2018
Ant-Man and the Wasp – July 6, 2018
Captain Marvel – March 8, 2019
Avengers: Infinity War – Part 2 – May 3, 2019
Inhumans – July 12, 2019
Two original Avengers are on this list are in Ragnarok (Thor and Hulk), and neither one of them are in Civil War. Meanwhile, Ant-Man and Spider-Man are both in the film, but presumably won’t be center stage. Black Panther is the only character on the list that looks to be a quasi-major player in Cap, and he’s only being introduced in it.
Civil War is not the same old “heroes fight, then become friends” cliché. At least one character is going to die in the line of duty, presumably. Speculation suggests that it will be a secondary character, like War Machine or Falcon (or both). However, there’s a very likely possibility that a core Avenger will fall during the film’s climax. Marvel can easily go the route of the comics, as many are suspecting, and kill the titular Star Spangled Avenger. Or, since readers will be expecting that, the filmmakers may decide to sacrifice the billionaire that ignited the MCU: Iron Man.
The bottom line is that no one knows what the Avengers line-up will look like in the wake of the war. You can suck the fun out of it by saying, “well, ‘Actor X’ has another movie on his contract,” or, “‘Actor Y’ said that he wants to return.” The fact remains that no one knows for sure. This is the world of Marvel; even if someone dies, he or she can make a comeback, somehow.
That an argument like this can even exist proves the point. There will be no in-depth speculation pieces written about the future of DC after their summer blockbuster; it’s all easily inferred from the promo material. Marvel, on the other hand, has generated nothing but speculation about the future of the franchise.
Obviously there will be more ‘Avengers’ movies, but who will be left on the team?
DC is not entirely at fault. We live in a post-Avengers world; fans expect big, shared cinematic universes. Even if Warner Brothers had kept their slate a secret, fans probably would have been expecting it anyway. Maybe they figured, “why bother?” or didn’t want to be accused of copying Marvel’s formula. No one can blame them for trying to be original. Still, it would have been nice to go into BvS with some sense of wonder. Hopefully Zack Snyder manages to surprise fans with something not yet announced.
It’s unfortunate that these two flicks are both coming out in 2016. The close proximity to one another has already led to countless comparisons and arguments (like this one), when they’re really trying to accomplish different goals. Civil War is the thirteenth part of a franchise that’s looking to remain fresh. It should have much larger repercussions, especially when compared to only the second installment of a franchise. The Avengers would be a more apt comparison to Batman v Superman, and The Avengers had nothing at stake for the MCU’s arc either.
Dawn of Justice will hopefully be an amazing, gritty superhero story. But that won’t change the fact that it leaves very little suspense for its Cinematic Universe, especially when compared to its 2016 rival, Civil War.
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice opens March 25, 2016.
Lucasfilm and Disney announced filming has begun on Star Wars: Episode VIII with a teaser video.
Rey took her first steps into a larger world in Star Wars: The Force Awakens and will continue her epic journey with Finn, Poe and Luke Skywalker in the next chapter of the continuing Star Wars saga, Star Wars: Episode VIII, which began principal photography at Pinewood Studios in London on February 15, 2016.
Rey took her first steps into a larger world in Star Wars: The Force Awakens and will continue her epic journey with Finn, Poe and Luke Skywalker in the next chapter of the continuing Star Wars saga, Star Wars: Episode VIII, which began principal photography at Pinewood Studios in London on February 15, 2016.
Star Wars: Episode VIII, which is written and directed by Rian Johnson and continues the storylines introduced in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, welcomes back cast members Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Lupita Nyong’o, Domhnall Gleeson, Anthony Daniels, Gwendoline Christie, and Andy Serkis. New cast members will include Academy Award® winner Benicio Del Toro, Academy Award® nominee Laura Dern, and talented newcomer Kelly Marie Tran.
Star Wars: Episode VIII is produced by Kathleen Kennedy and Ram Bergman and executive produced by J.J. Abrams, Jason McGatlin and Tom Karnowski. Joining the production crew will be some of the industry’s top talent, including Steve Yedlin (Director of Photography), Bob Ducsay (Editor), Rick Heinrichs (Production Designer), Peter Swords King (Hair and Make-Up Designer), and Mary Vernieu (US Casting Director). They will be joining returning crew members Pippa Anderson (Co-Producer, VP Post Production), Neal Scanlan (Creature & Droid FX Creative Supervisor), Michael Kaplan (Costume Designer), Jamie Wilkinson (Prop Master), Chris Corbould (SFX Supervisor), Rob Inch (Stunt Coordinator), Ben Morris (VFX Supervisor), and Nina Gold (UK Casting Director).
Star Wars: Episode VIII is scheduled for release December 15, 2017.
Netflix has dropped the first full trailer for Daredevil, season 2. And this is all about the Punisher.
And we also get a glimpse at Elektra. Check it out here:
The introduction of Jon Bernthal as Frank Castle, a.k.a. The Punisher, is fantastic from go. This promises all the same grit and grime that defined the first season of the series. Elodie Yung plays Elektra Natchios, and Deborah Ann Woll and Elden Henson return as Karen and Foggy, respectively.
Daredevil season 2 hits Netflix March 18, with a second trailer coming February 25.
HBO released a teaser for season six of Game of Thrones, Sunday night. The dead characters of the past speak and an ominous tone is taken with the ones that are still alive.
Will fans find out what happened to Jon Snow in the first episode or will the series drag his storyline out over the ten episodes?
Game of Thrones stars Peter Dinklage, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Lena Headey, Emilia Clarke, Aidan Gillen, Kit Harington, Diana Rigg, Natalie Dormer, Maisie Williams and Sophie Turner.
Sony released a 20-second teaser for Paul Feig’s ‘Ghostbusters,’ announcing that the first full trailer would debut on March 3.
Feig and Katie Dippold wrote the script for the reboot. Ghostbusters stars Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon, Leslie Jones, Charles Dance, Michael Kenneth Williams, Chris Hemsworth, and Andy Garcia as the Mayor of New York City. The film will feature cameos from Bill Murray, Sigourney Weaver, Dan Aykroyd, Annie Potts, and Ernie Hudson.
The plot is still unknown, but they’re probably going to bust some ghosts.
The new Ghostbuster will be in theaters on July 22, 2016.
Did you hear? The all-new #Ghostbusters trailer arrives March 3!
Posted by Ghostbusters on Sunday, February 14, 2016
Another day, another Kanye controversy. Following his album presentation/fashion show, Kanye West has finally unleashed his newest album onto the world. “The Life of Pablo” is West’s seventh studio album; it follows his polarizing experimental album “Yeezus“. Like his other projects, the influences are endless. Ranging from gospel to southern hip-hop, West jumps genres as much as he jumps around ventures. Speaking of side projects, Kayne’s newest collection in his Yeezy Season line debuted on February 11th. While the models (Naomi Campbell!) wore his fashion pieces, Kanye’s then unreleased album was their soundtrack. The evening was an unique spectacle only Yeezy can do!
Although the next morning, the album wasn’t on everyone’s lips…
The line “I feel like me and Taylor might still have sex/Why? I made that bitch famous” was the ONLY thing people took away from the event. The lyrics referring to Taylor Swift sent the internet into a tizzy. The reaction even made West tweet-rant! But controversy aside, a new Kanye West album has dropped & it should be reviewed as a piece of work with the mayhem not interfering.
So join me below as I quickly break down each song on the new album “The Life of Pablo“!
Ultralight Beams
-The introduction to the album is an experience. Featuring an amazing guest verse by Chance The Rapper, the gospel inspired track firmly thrust you into this new world. Reaffirming his love of God, Kanye barely appears on the song but his influence can be felt throughout. Favorite lyric is from Chance with “I met Kanye West, I’m never going to fail”.
Father Stretch My Hands, Pt. 1
-Like the first song on the album, this song is once again about God. But unlike the first song, the song has lyrics referring to a model with bleach on her asshole. The first of many cocky songs on “The Life of Pablo“, the first part of Father Stretch My Hands is some of the most fun you’ll have while listening to this album.
Pt. 2
-Drastically different from Pt. 1, Father Stretch My Hands, Pt. 2 is a fast paced & rapid-fire song filled with aggressive lyrics. You can see the passion Kanye has for this song as he bounced along during his fashion show in Madison Square Garden. The song is deeply personal but remains one of the most hyped songs as well.
Famous
-This is the song that includes the now infamous Taylor Swift line. Boisterous like any Kanye song should be; I find myself going back to this song for multiple listens. Rihanna sings the hook while Swizz Beats adds additional vocals & helps out with the beat. Famous is the type of Kanye that easily gets all the attention.
Feedback
–Feedback has one of my favorite beats on the entire album. It’s wild and industrial influenced; I instantly think of West’s work on his “Yeezus“ album. My favorite line of this song and what I believe sums up Kanye as a whole is “Name one genius that ain’t crazy?!“. One of the best songs and a must-listen!
Low Lights
-Serving as the introduction to the next song Highlights, Low Lights is yet another gospel-heavy song. The long testimony is heavily inspired from a biblical verse. Another powerful track.
Highlights
-Talking about his 21 Grammys and the fact he could’ve been friends with Ray-J if they both didn’t love Kim; High Lights is Kanye West at his most Kanye West. This is one of the most honest songs on the entire album even if it’s filled with boastful lines and “offensive lyrical content”. It also follows the heavy gospel tone as it starts with a religious monologue.
Freestyle 4
-Ominous & disturbing, Freestyle 4 is a sexually driven song where Kanye ask what would happen if he fucks at a Vogue party? I don’t think Anna Wintour would like that level of debauchery at one of her events. But that doesn’t stop this song from a rowdy tune that’s also quick and sleazy…much like sex at a Vogue party would be.
I Love Kanye
-If you thought Kanye West already talked about himself a lot, wait till you listen to I Love Kanye. The rapper brings up past fashion trends like his pink polos to his “sweet” earlier work. The song calls out the critics who don’t like the route Kanye took and their want for him to become his former self; in turn, he dismisses those claims and turns into a parody.
WAVES
-The song that delayed the album by an entire day, the late of addition of WAVES doesn’t add or hurt anything to “TLOP“. It’s a solid song featuring Chris Brown has giving his vocals to Kanye to make one of the most heartbreaking songs on the album.
FML
-Trying to make a moody R&B song in 2016? Just call The Weeknd. Kanye uses the powerful vocals of The Weeknd to talk about the fight with his enemies within himself & on the outside. FML is probably the most accessible song; I could see it used in trailers and maybe even on the radio.
Real Friends
-The first song in the relaunch of the G.O.O.D Friday series; songs released on the Fridays leading up to Kanye album release. Real Friends is a look into the life of Kanye in a personal way. With juggling work, family, fatherhood, & constant drama; the polarizing figure explains the struggle in his song.
Wolves
-Frank Ocean takes time from not releasing his album to add his wonderful voice onto Wolves. Previously released with Sia & Vic Mensa on the song, the new version of Wolves is another wonderful collaboration of West & Ocean. Look out the lyrics where Kanye compares his children Saint and North West to Jesus. Amazing…
Silver Surfer Intermission
-Named after a beloved Marvel character, this is a phone conversation stylized as a intermission for the album. Originally a song with Frank Ocean, the ever-changing album turned this into an introduction of sorts for 30 Hours.
30 Hours
-Released shortly after the album presentation in Madison Square Garden, Kanye released 30 Hours as late inclusion for the album. This is one of the most self-aware songs on the album. It seemingly makes reference to fights with exes to the morning after Kanye has a wild night out; was this all things just happened this month?!
No More Parties In L.A
-Trading verses with Kendrick Lamar, this G.O.O.D Friday release sounds like that ‘Old Kanye‘ that was mentioned earlier. A classic hip-hop beat with familiar samples; Kanye pleads for his girl to stop throwing parties in L.A. and talks about him being the ‘backpack rapper’, which is a throwback Kanye reference.
FACTS -2016 was the year Kanye West started a rivalry with the shoe brand Nike! Dropping Facts months before the album release, the song is about West’s successful partnership with ADIDAS & his problems with former partner Nike. The song made such a splash; Michael Jordan’s son came out in defense of the brand his father built. Did Yeezy jump over Jumpman
Fade -With a tribal beat and heavy auto-tune, this aggressive callback to an early Kanye album “808’s & Heartbreak” closes the album on a high note. Heavily sampling Rare Earth’s “(I Know) I’m Losing You“, the funky Fade encapsulates the Kanye song just as much as the tonally different introduction Ultra Light Beams.
