Arrow’s Mystery Grave: Who Dies This Season?

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February 3, 2016

CW’s Arrow hasn’t killed off any main characters for a while now – in fact, they just resurrected one so she could hop on Legends of Tomorrow. But for their fourth season, they have teased the death of a presumably major character, showing Oliver Queen, distraught, at a grave site. While we know it’s not Oliver, Felicity Smoak, or Barry Allen (The Flash), the question remains – what character is Arrow preparing to kill off?

Thea Queen/Speedy (90% likely)

The major deaths we’ve already seen in Arrow are (SPOILERS!) Tommy and Moira. Moira, Oliver’s mother, was killed when Deathstroke made Oliver choose between Moira and Thea, his sister. Thea’s still alive today, but she is likely next up on the chopping block. Technically, she shouldn’t be alive, as she was brought back to life by the Lazarus Pit. Because of this resurrection, nowadays she’s erratic and violent in battle, which could lead to an impulsive decision that gets her killed. Damien Darhk is also fascinated by the dark energy that’s now flowing through her, and he nearly killed her earlier to get back at Oliver. While he didn’t know Oliver was the Green Arrow then, once he knows, Thea’s the logical target. Now it’s possible Darhk’s interest in Thea will mean he tries to keep her alive, for experiments or as a potential pawn, but she seems to be the most likely death of the show’s main cast.

John Diggle/Spartan (85% likely)

Diggle has really left his mark on Arrow, becoming so important in the TV show that he was actually added into the comics. His death would seriously upset Team Arrow, as he’s been there since the first episode. But as a character created for the TV show, he’s arguably less iconic, and therefor more expendable. There’s also the fact that Arrow has now introduced Andy, John’s younger brother, and they’ve made him more important as this season has progressed. It’s quite possible that he’s been built up as a replacement for John. Arrow doesn’t do a lot of big deaths in their show, at least not since Season 2, so it does seem a bit unlikely that they would kill such a key character. But clearly they want to stress how big this death is, and it’s hard to think whose death could be as moving as John’s.

Laurel Lance/Black Canary (75% likely)

As terrible as it sounds, I want it to be Laurel. Not because I especially hate her, but because she hasn’t really been as important or interesting this season. Now that Thea and John are more regularly joining Oliver in the fighting, there’s less of a need for the Black Canary to be there. It would be karma for brining Sara back to life – there could be some moment where Nyssa pops back up and says “this is what happens when you bring people back to life.” Also, it’s possible Darhk would want to kill Laurel as retribution for Quentin, her father, betraying him. However, it seems more unlikely that they would kill off a character as iconic as Black Canary, who is married to Green Arrow and a Justice League member in the comics. It’s improbable they’d be willing to kill her off, but it is clearly meant to be a big, earth-shattering death, and the death of Black Canary could be that big of an event.

Quentin Lance (70% likely)

He’s been working for Darhk, and he’s now betrayed him for Oliver. Darhk’s not dumb. If he doesn’t know now, it certainly won’t take him long to figure out. And it makes sense that Darhk would use the death of Quentin as a message to Oliver not to try and cross him any further. However, the dynamic between Quentin and Oliver is constantly shifting between the two of them working together, then being enemies with different views of justice. I think it’s more likely they’ll go back to the latter dynamic, where whoever died makes Oliver vengeful, while a still alive Quentin Lance will tell him to keep a level head.

Donna Smoak (65% likely)

Now while it’s possible Darhk killed someone to send Oliver a message, it’s also possible Darhk wants to send Quentin a message for betraying him. And now that Quentin has sparked up a relationship with Donna, he’s got an emotional connection beyond his daughters. She’s not really been around enough to be that major of a character, and she’s usually only brought in for some easy comedy/emotions for Felicity, so I doubt it’s her, but it’s possible, now that she’s also got the connection to Quentin. And since Oliver and Felicity are married, it makes sense that they would be the two faces we see, anguished and ready to strike back at Darhk.

William, Oliver’s son (50% likely)

If you don’t know who this is, no worries – William has only appeared on Arrow a couple of times, hence why he’s so low on the list. Oliver impregnated a young woman, Samantha, back in his playboy days, and Moira paid her off to never tell Oliver. But Oliver does eventually find Samantha, and meets his son William. So far we’ve only seen William in a handful of episodes, and he and Oliver have only talked once in “Legends of Yesterday.” It’s possible they brought in William only to have his death be a serious gut-punch to Oliver, but that seems like wasted potential, and therefor unlikely. It’s more likely that he’ll be kept alive and pop up whenever the writers need a B or C storyline.

Roy Harper/Arsenal (45% likely)

While Roy has officially been off the main squad for a while, the fact that he left Starling means that he’s still alive, and can still be killed off. We do know from a series of promo pictures that Arsenal does step back into the show, even if only for a single episode, to help Team Arrow take down classic DC villain The Calculator. He hasn’t really mattered in a minute, so it seems unlikely that they’d write him off the show, then immediately write him in and kill him. I’d only expect Roy to die if the actor, Colton Haynes, is trying to cut all ties to the show.

Lyla Michaels (30% likely)

Talk about a wasted character. Since Lyla quit A.R.G.U.S, she’s shown up rather infrequently, often only coming in to tell John he’s being stupid while holding their daughter, Sara. With the death of Amanda Waller, it’s possible Lyla will take over A.R.G.U.S. and thereby put herself in more potential danger. However, it seems far more likely the writers want to kill off A.R.G.U.S. so people focus on the Suicide Squad iteration, which means Lyla is likely going to remain alive and somewhat relevant for at least the rest of this season.

Andy Diggle (25% likely)

Out of all the characters who could conceivably be killed, Andy would be the worst and most nonsensical choice. Having only been around for five episodes, killing him off this early would be premature, to say the least. Also, it plain wouldn’t make sense for Oliver to be the one mourning, as opposed to John or possibly Lyla. While I’m interested to see what the writers continue to do with Andy, he flat out doesn’t matter enough right now to be the death that has been hyped up for so long.

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The Pros And Cons Of Movie Trailers

By

Cade Onder

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February 3, 2016

Movie trailers are a powerful tool used by movie studios. Sometimes they don’t use this tool properly though. Some studios have actually started unintentionally ruining key moments in movies through its promotional material. It’s gotten to the point where you want to plug your ears and close your eyes during most trailers for fear of seeing just about everything the film has to offer.

Movies like Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice have marketed in such a way that there is a little mystery or intrigue surrounding the plot. We already know Doomsday is the main villain, which seemed like it was supposed to be a surprise but due to some leaks and rumors they just dropped him into a trailer. They’ve heavily implied Darkseid is in the movie, and we’ve seen a barrage of the cool action moments. If someone just edited every trailer, TV spot and clip into one video, you could probably piece together a good chunk of the movie. Just imagine sitting in the theater and seeing Doomsday show up having no knowledge of him being in the film, or seeing Robin’s costume in the Batcave. Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice will probably be a satisfying, enjoyable, fun film. DC and Warner Bros. have a lot riding on it, so it has to be good. It just would’ve been nicer if Warner Bros. stopped showing so much.

[embedyt] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fis-9Zqu2Ro[/embedyt]

It’s not a problem with just Batman V Superman though, that’s just one of the most recent examples. It’s happened to The Amazing Spider-Man 2, Avenger’s: Age of Ultron, and many others. Here are some pros and cons surrounding the current state of movie trailers…

Pro: A good movie trailer builds excitement for fans and can even attract new fans

There are times where a movie gets announced, and the initial announcement doesn’t excite, causing the film to drift off my radar. Then, an amazing trailer gets released and my hype muscle flexes! The most recent example of this is Suicide Squad; the first trailer didn’t do a whole lot for me and the images we got for The Joker were a major turn-off. Then we got the beautiful second trailer. This second trailer is edited perfectly to the beats of Queen’s classic song, “Bohemian Rhapsody,” we get the perfect taste of action and humor and our first extended look at the craziness of Jared Leto’s Joker, and it teases us with an interesting story without giving too much away. This trailer completely changed people’s opinion of the film and attracted more fans, all by crafting a well-made trailer.

[embedyt] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CmRih_VtVAs[/embedyt]

Con: A bad movie trailer can spoil too much of the plot or show too many crucial scenes

I mentioned this in my first few paragraphs: if you aren’t careful with how you edit and release trailers you can potentially spoil a movie. Some trailers go the extra mile and show the very last shot of the movie (hello, The Amazing Spider-Man 2). Obviously, you’d want to share some details of the plot before the film’s release, but don’t release so much that it’s easy to predict the movie from start to finish. We shouldn’t be sitting in the theater thirty minutes away from the end of the film thinking “Oh, here comes that cool shot from the trailer!” We should be engrossed in the movie. There should be genuine surprises. Not every cool thing needs to be in the trailer. The easiest way to prevent a film from being spoiled in previews is to shorten the trailer. A trailer should give you a brief taste of the film and make you want more. You shouldn’t feel like you don’t have to see the movie because of the trailer. In my opinion, a trailer shouldn’t be more than a minute or two.

[embedyt] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DlM2CWNTQ84[/embedyt]

Pro: A good movie trailer can create lots of buzz and intrigue around the film

Look at the trailer for 10 Cloverfield Lane; we pretty much have no idea what’s happening in the movie. Everyone wants to know how the hell this is tied to Cloverfield and the audience’s interest in the film is at its peak. You could say “Well, it has the branding of Cloverfield attached to it so of course people are interested.” Which is true, but let’s look at the first trailer for the original Cloverfield. You weren’t given a title at the end of the trailer, literally no one had any clue what this movie was, and it had the haunting image of The Statue of Liberty’s head lying in the middle of the street of New York City. It’s probably one of the most brilliant trailers ever created; fans scoured the internet for more information on the film. Was it connected to Godzilla or Voltron, yes I said Voltron I know it’s silly. If the marketing for Cloverfield wasn’t so brilliant, Cloverfield might not have been the success it was and we probably wouldn’t be here eagerly awaiting 10 Cloverfield Lane’s release.

[embedyt] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=saHzng8fxLs[/embedyt]

Con: A bad movie trailer can mislead people in a bad way

Some movies don’t even know how to market their film, or a studio tries to sell the movie in a certain way that doesn’t accurately portray the film. The most recent and prominent example of this is The Gift. The movie was advertised as a relatively generic horror film while in reality the film was a dramatic thriller with a pretty good life lesson. If the option of seeing either The Gift or the travesty that is Fantastic Four (2015) hadn’t been given to me I would have probably never watched The Gift. Only a few days before I saw it was when the film had been brought to my attention, and it didn’t look particularly good, it just seemed incredibly generic. Once the credits had rolled for the movie, I instantly knew it would make my top 10 films of 2015, maybe even top 5. I expected this movie to blow up all over the place, but I have barely seen anyone talk about it aside from some YouTube channels that review movies. I genuinely believe the film was affected by its misleading marketing. There are many ways to edit a trailer together, but if you’re advertising a dramatic thriller advertise it as a dramatic thriller, not a generic horror movie!

[embedyt] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gzWd71frxhY[/embedyt]

Obviously, I am no Don Draper from Mad Men. My marketing degree has yet to arrive in the mail, but the fact that someone can write an opinion piece on what is wrong with trailers is a problem. Trailers aren’t a bad thing; they are exciting and fun to watch! Studios just need to be more careful on how they edit a trailer. Hopefully, we can bring back the amazing trailers that we got in the early 2000’s that give you butterflies in your stomach but don’t show much of the actual plot, similar to the phenomenal trailer we got for Spider-Man 2 (2004). Do you agree with what I have said or do you have anything you want to add? Let me know in the comments below!

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The 10 Essential Movie Car Chases

By

Larry Taylor - Managing Editor

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February 3, 2016

Car chases are a staple of action cinema. They can serve the story, or seemingly exist in a vacuum outside the plot. The best car chases in film history have a mixture of sharp camera work and visceral street-level anxiety. They make you lean to the left or the right in your chair, grab the armrest, or shield your eyes as the subjects narrowly avoid certain disaster. Obstacles and tricky street navigation, pedestrians and precarious situations all play into the best car chases, and here are ten of the very best.

Quick Disclaimer: There’s no need to include any Fast and Furious chases here. There are seven of those films already, and their entire existence is predicated upon the car chase. The best Fast and Furious car chases is a list that could expand beyond ten by itself. The same goes for Mad Max, The Road Warrior, or Fury Road… these are chase films, not films with chases in them. For the sake of diversity, let’s leave those on the side.

10. Jack Reacher – In the middle of what was an otherwise average film is a muscle-bound, three-pronged car chase. Tom Cruise’s Jack Reacher is chasing the villains, while Reacher is being pursued by the cops, and Chris McQuarrie’s camera work is stellar. And more than anything else, this is a master class in sound design.

9. The Seven-Ups – this relatively unseen crime drama apes on the success of The French Connection two years earlier, and even has Roy Scheider to bridge the gap between the two. This busy chase is all screeching tires on the soundtrack and 70s cars, heavy, the size of small freighters.

8. The Blues Brothers – One of the rare car chases in film working on comedy rather than tension. This pursuit was famous for using more cars than any other chase, and the pursuit through a mall creates some wonderfully insane laughs.

7. Ronin – Much like Jack Reacher, this chase elevates what is an otherwise middling picture. The tight city streets of Paris and other foreign ports always welcome in an all new set of obstacles and potential for disaster, and John Frankenheimer plays up these elements to perfection.

6. Drive – The opening scene of Drive, incredible in its own right, might deserve a spot here. But that was more an elusive cat-and-mouse pursuit. And when held up next to the brief chase in the middle of the film, with Gosling’s car flying down the road backwards, it doesn’t have the same hard-charged muscle. Short, and to the point.

5. The Bourne Supremacy – Paul Greengrass’s frenetic camera work creates a sense of disorientation in this chase. This is a heap of twisted metal, racing along wet city streets and crushing cars and obstacles until the final crash in the tunnel, which almost comes as a relief.

4. The French Connection – This has always been one of the defining car chases in action cinema. William Friedkin opted to not worry about permits or any sort of legal permissions before he shot this inventive chase between a car and an elevated train. As important as this is in the realm of movie car chases, it’s not even Friedkin’s finest hour in this department.

3. The Dead Pool – What is often overlooked, mostly because this is the last and most forgotten Dirty Harry film, is the wonderful inventiveness in this chase. A remote control car wired with explosives chases Harry and his partner through the rolling San Francisco streets. Never mind the logistics of this, it’s purely delightful, amusing, and thrilling.

2. To Live and Die in LA – This is William Friedkin’s finest hour when it comes to car chases, and probably filmmaking in my opinion. It’s amazing to even think about the logistics of this chase, with so many cars in danger as our hero hurtles down the freeway on the wrong side. The chase builds and the scope expands the entire time.

1. Bullitt – Here it is, the godfather of car chases. Filmed three years before The French Connection, this is the template for cinematic car chases each and every chase of its kind was built upon. Steve McQueen’s Mustang screams off the soundtrack, and the extended chase moves with a rapid fire intensity.

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Review: ‘The People v. O.J. Simpson’ Starts Strong

By

Larry Taylor - Managing Editor

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February 3, 2016

Ryan Murphy’s The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story is a larger than life story, filled to the brim with bombastic personalities, loaded with salacious tabloid fodder. The trial of O.J. was, at least in a way, responsible for ushering in the reality TV craze, redefining our penchant for true-crime narrative. So it’s only fitting the FX show fills out a cast with easily recognizable personalities in central roles, rather than disguise these central figures with relative unknowns to avoid distraction. It makes perfect sense, and even when you see the likes of Cuba Gooding Jr. and John Travolta chewing scenery, their ham-fisted deliveries work in concert with the subject matter.

This is not an exercise in subtlety, and it shouldn’t be. Gooding is O.J., “The Juice,” and this first episode focuses on the night of the murder, the investigation, and the way the investigation slowly but surely lands at Simspson’s feet. There is the discovery of the body, where we meet Detective Mark Furman, and the chaos that ensued. On the county side, Sarah Paulson absolutely embodies prosecutor Marcia Clark, an angry and eager district attorney whose tunnel vision ultimately unraveled the prosecution’s case. She has it out for Simpson, not because she had any idea who he was beforehand, but because he has been getting away with abuse for years.

Simpson’s friends and his ultimate all-star team of defense lawyers each get their moment in this first episode. We get a few small scenes with Kato Kaelin, Simpson’s pool house leech played by Billy Magnussen with a sharp angle of stoner moron. David Schwimmer is Robert Kardashian, desperate to help his friend because he just can’t believe Juice could do such a terrible thing. Schwimmer plays Kardashian as a tamped down version of Ross, sad-eyed and mopey, but he isn’t a distraction. Courtney B. Vance is Johnnie Cochran, a celebrity lawyer who we first meet in his closet – larger than most two-bedroom houses – trying to pick out a suit for the day. His wife suggests lime green, but he doesn’t think it’s the best choice because he has to go out to Neverland ranch and “MJ is afraid of that color.” Cochran was a shark seeking out fame at every turn, and despite the sensationalism surrounding Nicole Simpson and Ron Goldman’s murder, he wants nothing to do with it. Yet.

And then there is Robert Shapiro, Simpson’s lead attorney played here by John Travolta. I don’t know much about Shapiro beyond what we all saw on Court TV, but Travolta is decidedly over the top. He plays Shapiro as an eccentric, flamboyant a little, with a measured cadence and a slightly effeminate disposition. It’s weird, but perhaps Shapiro was that way; I doubt it, however, and it seems this is simply Travolta’s oddball present-day acting shining through. But you buy into it, because the momentum of the show pushes forward and you don’t worry about technique from the performers.

Ryan Murphy’s melodramatic tendencies are on display in The People v. O.J. Simpson, but I can’t imagine a story more deserving of said theatrics. There is no actor disappearing into a role here, it’s big personalities playing even bigger personalities, living on tabloid pages and in the media. For that reason it works. We end episode one with the white Bronco driving erratically down the freeway, so clearly this show isn’t going to let up any time soon.

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Does Anyone Want To Own the Bat-Signal?

By

Dewey Singleton - Film Critic

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February 3, 2016

Batman fans have a unique opportunity to purchase some ultimate memorabilia, by bidding on the Bat-Signal used as a prop in Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice, per an e-bay listing, that went live this week.

The prop, identified as a modified WWII searchlight Military Army Jeep, has been listed for sale at $65,000 on the popular online auction site. Here’s the link to the E-Bay auction. E-Bay Bat Signal

According to the E-Bay Listing-

“The WWII General Electric searchlight was leased to the movie production company at the Michigan Motion Picture Studios in Pontiac, Michigan in the summer of 2014,” reads the auction description in part. “I have full documentation on this light being used on set for the movie. After production, the searchlight was returned without the “bat logo” which I replaced with an exact duplicate. The large knife switch seen sparking in the trailer was added for dramatic effect, and is not part of the searchlight.”

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 mankind in greater danger than it’s ever known before. Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice opens in March.

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Venture Bros. Season 6 Premiere Recap – Welcome to NYC

By

Jess Morton

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February 2, 2016

When The Venture Bros. left us in Episode 0, which was basically an extended Star Wars reference, Dr. Venture inherited his brother’s multi-billion dollar business empire. This is followed by a rather stylish montage of the three Ventures moving to their new NYC compound. The Mary Sue has compiled some quick season recaps for your viewing pleasure. The entirety of Episode 0 is also available to watch at Adult Swim.

The whole episode feels like getting the band back together, as the OSI assigns Brock back to the Ventures. Hank and Dean get their own independent storylines, The Monarch attempts to continue ‘arching’ with disastrous results, and Dr. Mrs. The Monarch tries to head up the Council of 13. The dynamics return to what fans love. The relationship between Dr. Venture and Brock works especially well. Gotta love Bock’s relentless cursing.

Now with the Venture family relocated in New York there’s an entirely new opportunity for the writers do whatever they want. Hilarious superhero and super villain characters pop up out of nowhere. One great example is The Crusaders Action League. The trio of ‘professional’ superheroes (who charge for their services) consists of a Hispanic Wonder Woman, an overly sexualized Captain America, and a purple Arrow who shoots feet from his bow. They of course meddle where they’re not wanted, causing more harm than good. These are the kind of problems comic books and movies usually gloss over with traditional superheroes. Got to love that dose of reality.

The highlight of this episode, which mostly consists of setting up characters, is Dr. Mrs. The Monarch. This badass lady shoulders a lot of the responsibility of The Council of 13. Her experiences with all of her male colleges have her torn between her career, and her life with The Monarch. Dr. Mrs. The Monarch isn’t anyone’s companion anymore; she’s her own super villain. Dr. Mrs. The Monarch will probably rise to head of the Council of 13, but at what cost? Female viewers take note here. There’s ample opportunity to continue to develop Dr. Mrs. The Monarch over Season 6, bring it on Venture Bros.

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‘Captain America: Civil War’ – The Teams Face Off

By

Lee Westney

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February 2, 2016

Earlier today Marvel released this promo picture for Captain America: Civil War.

The picture gives us a clear look at the teams in the film, so I thought it would be interesting to see how they may match up against each other in the movie.

Iron Man vs. Captain America

Now we’ve already seen from the impressive trailer ( if you haven’t seen it, first where have you been and secondly I’ll put it at the end of this post ) Cap is giving Stark a pretty serious beat down with the help of Bucky. I think at some point though Bucky will have to fend off an attack from somewhere else, leaving the two big guns to duke it out. The question is, who would win? Will we see one of them realize the only way to stop the other is to take him down permanently. In doing so, it gets to the point when they are about to deliver a killing blow and Spider-Man comes in and puts a stop to it.

Having someone so young be the voice of reason makes them snap out of it and realize what they were about to do. It doesn’t necessarily mean they will have solved the issue but it puts an end to the fight.

Black Widow vs. Hawkeye

If you go back to the first Avengers film, you will remember these two have already had an onscreen fight. Hawkeye was controlled by Loki, and by the end of the fight, it was pretty clear Black Widow can take Hawkeye, given the fact she knocks him out.

During Civil War though can we expect to see the same thing. I think it will be an interesting one, especially as at the end of Age of Ultron they were pretty close after what they went through. Will Civil War put a severe strain on their friendship? I wouldn’t be surprised if one of them switches sides at the end of the fight. My money is on Hawkeye for this one. I think Tony will do something quite drastic that will make Natasha rethink her position in the battle. A nice twist could be that she is working undercover for Cap and his team and she helps bring Iron-Man down at the end.

War Machine vs. Falcon

I’ve put these two together because Falcon is the only one on Caps team who flies and will give War Machine a run for his money ( I’m not counting the clip we saw of Scarlet Witch using beams of energy as we don’t know how high she can go). Also, the added bonus is these are both military men. They will each give a decent argument about their stance in Civil War. War Machine does have supreme firepower but lets face it, he’s no Tony Stark in the suit. Falcon does have the advantage of being more nimble with the wings and being able to switch in and out of flying may give him the edge. Then, there is a clip from the trailer where Rhodey just had his reactor ripped from his chest.

There is also a chance one of the two characters will die during Civil War, which could be one of the reasons it ends as both sides realize things have gone too far. If its going to be anyone I think it could be War Machine. It could even be the main reason the Civil War begins and the need for Superheroes to register.

Vision vs. Scarlet Witch

This matchup is a lot harder to try to visualize a clear winner. Vision is shown as being on Iron-Man’s side in promotional material but there is nothing saying he can’t easily be swayed. He is making his choices based on his understanding of what he thinks is right for humanity. There have been a lot of articles saying Tony Stark is very manipulative in the film and he could be the one who convinces Vision to join his side. Once the fight gets under way, Scarlet Witch could show Vision a glimpse of what life could be like if Tony wins. He would then see how the heroes are treated, especially if they showed a glimpse of the prison that Tony builds with Reed Richards in the Civil War comic series. Also, there could be a hint of the romantic relationship Vision and Scarlet Witch have, which could sway the fight and cause issues. When someone can wield Mjolnir like Vision can then the fight could be over before its even started.

Black Panther vs. Winter Solider/Bucky Barnes

This one is also quite difficult to call. We have all seen how well Bucky can handle himself since he became the Winter Solider. What we don’t really know about yet is what his mental state is. He is one sandwich short of a full picnic. Either way, he knows how to take care of himself and if he is slowly starting to get his old persona back, then he is going to fight with all he has when it comes to helping his old buddy Steve.

As we’ve seen in the trailer, they make a pretty formidable team when they take down Iron-Man. Bucky also looks like he really wants to rip the arc reactor right out of Tony’s chest. He could also be the who possibly causes War Machines death (if the story goes that way). Marvel does need to build up Black Panther for his solo film, expect Black Panther to come out on top.

The Wildcard – Spider-Man vs. Ant-Man

I used the above image of Spider-Man purely because I hope this is what the Spider-Man Civil War suit looks like. It’s as good a guess as any at this point. So this last one is pure speculation as we don’t know how big a part both of these characters have in the film. Although if Spider-man does faceoff with Ant-Man, the dialogue should be incredible. Also how cool would it be if Spider-Man caught Ant-Man in a web while he was small and just left him there. Again it’s probably not going to happen its just my imagination getting the better of me.

Captain America: Civil War stars Scarlett Johansson, Elizabeth Olsen, Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr., Sebastian Stan, Paul Bettany, Paul Rudd, Tom Holland, Jeremy Renner, Anthony Mackie, Don Cheadle and Chadwick Boseman. The film is directed by Joe Russo and Anthony Russo.

Captain America: Civil War will be in theatres April 29th.

So that’s it. What do you think of the pairings and do you agree with them or would you like to see others paired up to fight. Let me know in the comments.

As promised here is that trailer for the person that’s been under a rock for the past year.

[embedyt] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uVdV-lxRPFo[/embedyt]
That’s all for now.

See you soon.

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Dawn Of Justice & Suicide Squad Are Using Social Media To Defeat Marvel

By

EJ Moreno

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February 2, 2016

DC Films Performing 500% Stronger On Social Media Than Marvel!

Dawn of Justice, Suicide Squad, and even Wonder Woman have all had major promotion as of late. So much so that DC Films has jumped ahead of Marvel when it comes to social media, according to ListenFirst Digital Audience Ratings. The site is known for their weekly looks at which films are performing well on social media; their recent reports show that Batman V. Superman: Dawn of Justice and Suicide Squad, both releasing this year, have easily breezed pass the Disney owned brand.

While Captain America preps for his Civil War against Iron Man, the DC Extended Universe prepares for a new dawn in comic films. With the polarizing trailer for Batman V. Superman 2 months ago to the new Suicide Squad trailer being a smash on Youtube, the online presence for DC is masterful.

The Entire DC vs Marvel Debate In A Nutshell

With about a month and a half until the release of Dawn of Justice and Suicide Squad coming this summer, what more could DC Films do in an attempt to increase social media awareness? All they need to do is look over to Deadpool and their genius marketing campaign. With what seems like a new piece of promo everyday, Deadpool is the goal for social media marketing. Imagine Jessie Eisenberg’s Lex Luthor rant-tweeting like Kanye West?! Could Superman make a Youtube video coming out against Donald Trump because of his stance on illegal aliens? Endless possibilities!

Will DC continue to reign or can Marvel take back the crown closer to Civil War‘s release date?

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Oscars’ Greatest Hits: William Friedkin Defines Documentary Style in ‘The French Connection’

By

Larry Taylor - Managing Editor

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February 2, 2016

“You still picking’ your feet in Poughkeepsie?”

William Friedkin’s The French Connection is a near perfect thriller. In 1971, it defined a documentary style, a mimicry of the European New Wave movements, that became commonplace in 70s Hollywood. It also singlehandedly built the legacy of the great Gene Hackman, who owns every moment of this picture, striding confidently through the neorealism settings, larger than life and disparate from the police code he honors.

Hackman is Jimmy “Popeye” Doyle, a hard-charging narcotics detective who keeps his blood boiling beating the streets of New York City, busting low-level dealers and junkies. Doyle is a little bit of a racist, a moderate drunk, and he isn’t afraid to skirt the rules and work the angles to get the crooks. But there is something burning deep inside Doyle, tempered only briefly at times by his more level-headed – but equally as tough – partner, Buddy (Roy Scheider, great as usual). For all of his flaws and questionable morals, Jimmy Doyle is blinded by righteousness. No matter how much disdain he may carry with him to these dive bars and city streets he shakes down, Doyle is driven by a truthful desire to clean things up.

When a French heroin-smuggling ring works its way from the banks of the Como to the back alleys of Doyle’s stomping grounds, Doyle and Buddy see this as their one and only shot to bring in the big fish and simultaneously save their careers. “What have ya brought in?” their Captain argues. “Some bellhop who had three joints in his sock?” Doyle and Buddy need this bust.

This is a grand smuggling ring, one typically told in sweeping cinematic style and flamboyance. At least these days. But not in Friedkin’s film. The director’s dedication to his documentary style remains true, even when Doyle and Buddy’s investigation reaches international scope. The investigation, seen early on in surveillance from a car or rattling the cages of informants, is filmed as if the audience is a third member of the team. We ride along in the back seat, peer out through the car windows. We are privy to private talks, and we stand at the end of the bar while Doyle cleans up the small-time collection of drugs. It’s beyond immersive, demanding your attention, and rewarding you for it.

Then there’s the car chase, the single most defining moment in the French Connection. This chase was Friedkin’s first true dalliance with such an action set piece, but not his last (if you haven’t seen To Live and Die in LA and the chase there, make it a priority). There’s also that little note that Friedkin, Hackman, and the crew didn’t bother with setting up the chase, announcing their intentions, or seeking out any permits. Which is astounding given the finished product. The chase is also unique in that it’s Doyle in hot pursuit of an elevated train. He must navigate the streets, all the while staying close to the train as his potential assassin.

The plot of the film is secondary to the singleminded drive driving Doyle to amorality in his investigation. This is Doyle’s story, framed with a high-profile smuggling ring that serves to motivate this hard-nosed detective who only lives to get the collar. The French Connection grabbed five Oscars at the 1972 ceremony, including Best Picture, Best Director for Friedkin, Best Actor for Hackman, and Best Adapted Screenplay for Ernest Tidyman, whose dialogue is sharp, quick, and textured by the streets in which these characters inhabit. It defined a style, it helped bring neorealism to America (see any parallels with this new style and the smuggling ring?), and announced new powers in the industry in both Friedkin and Hackman.

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Red Hot Chili Peppers in “Home Stretch” of Completing New Album

By

Larry Taylor - Managing Editor

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February 2, 2016

The Red Hot Chili Peppers are in the “home stretch” of completing their first studio album since 2011’s I’m With You.

Anthony Keidis recently went on Joney’s Jukebox podcast to discuss the long-gestating album, which they will produce with Danger Mouse. The teaming with Danger Mouse marks the first time the Chili Peppers haven’t worked with Rick Rubin since Mother’s Milk back in the 80s.

Here’s a bit of what Kiedis said about Danger Mouse (Brian Burton) and the progress of the album:

“We had written two dozen songs before we got with him [Burton]. [He] is like, ‘Let’s keep a few of those, but let’s go write all new songs in the studio.’ We’re looking at each other like, ‘Dude, we kind of already wrote the songs, bro.’ He’s like, ‘No, I like to write new ones in the studio.’ So, in honor of accommodating this new process, we wrote all new songs, and it’s a good thing we did.”

The Chili Peppers have been working on this album on and off, with a few delays along the way, since 2014. Last year, Kiedis said this was as good a Red hot Chili Peppers album as any they’d ever written. Flea also chimed in, saying the new tunes would be “super danceable.”

Until the album drops, the band will be headlining the Reading and Leeds Festival in the UK, and have booked a few more concerts and festivals for the summer months.

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