Getting back to reviewing a truly craft beer after reviewing a seasonal beer from Granville Island Brewing, a subsidiary of Molson-Coors, last week, I am pleased to be able to review an excellent “lagered ale” from Beau’s All Natural Brewing Company based out of Vankleek Hill, Ontario, Lug Tread Lagered Ale. The fine people at Beau’s call this beer a “lagered ale” because calling it either a lager or an ale would be misleading, more on that later. First, let’s have some history of the brewery.
The History
Beau’s All Natural Brewing company was established in 2006 and has since then produced a wide variety of beers with names as eclectic as “The Tom Green Beer,” named for Canada’s notorious talk-show host Tom Green. The brewery’s website describes them as “fiercely independent,” and Beau’s has proven that claim over the years delivering products that epitomize outside-the-box thinking. For instance, Beau’s brews all come in relatively large 600 mL bottles and are generally sold in 4-packs, although sales of 8-packs were recently launched. At 5.2% alc./vol and 600 mL per bottle, this is one beer you’ll probably only need one or two of, excellent as they are.
First Sip
Unibroue’s La Fin Du Monde is fruitier than Beau’s Lug Tread Lagered Ale by far
Talk about the best of both worlds, this beer brings the crispness of a lager while still providing the full flavour of an ale, hence this beer being a “lagered ale.” The first sip of this beer shows off its country-style charm. Its earthy flavour, advertised by its earthy name, comes on strong on my initial sip, its aftertaste having a lingering bitterness that stays long after I’ve completed a bottle. Although the beer is advertised on the brewery’s website as having subtle fruit notes, these are definitely subtle, not having the pronounced fruity taste of a beer like Unibroue’s La Fin du Monde.
Last Sip
Because of the size of each bottle, Beau’s Lug Tread Lagered Ale is a beer you don’t want to finish quickly, but finishing a bottle slowly is its own punishment. No one wants to drink a bunch of warm, flat beer, but if you leave your bottle of Beau’s long enough, that’s exactly what you’ll be doing: its 600 mL size, while a welcome change to those whose fridges are far away, make it a true juggernaut of wounded soldiers. With its long-lasting aftertaste, though, this is a beer you’ll be thinking about having another of long after finishing your four-pack.
Other Comments
The brewery’s website advertises that Lug Tread will go well with chicken, bratwurst, soft cheeses, and other such foods. I think, though, that based on this beer’s easy-drinking quality you could have it with just about anything and still be satisfied.
Terry Zwigoff’s second team-up with Daniel Clowes was poorly received by critics and audiences. It was accused of being misanthropic and obvious in its satire, not to mention side-tracked by a serial killer subplot. But are all those really bad things? Not really. Although it’s not as consistent as Ghost World or Bad Santa, there’s quite a bit to like in Art School Confidential.
The movie is about Jerome, a young man with artistic dreams who gets accepted into art school. Unfortunately, Jerome goes through a series of events that leads him to questioning his future in art, one of which a serial killer on campus who seems to be picking victims at random. Zwigoff casts his movies perfectly, and here Max Minghella gives an excellent performance as Jerome. He’s sweet, vulnerable but he doesn’t back away at all from the character’s flaws, filling the character with humanity. And perhaps this is one of the movie’s biggest failings, all the other characters come off as stereotypes and the movie kind of acknowledge it, but it doesn’t lessen it. Yet, the stereotyping in the movie almost works because for anyone who’s ever set foot on art school, they feel realistic and Zwigoff’s and Clowe’s knack for comedy manages to make it work. But this surely could’ve been a better film with more rounded characters. But also performances from the likes of John Malkovich, Jim Broadbent and Ethan Suplee make the characters stand out better against the way the film presents them.
Yet, everything else in the movie is quite delicious. The movie is never boring, even providing a great twist in the story towards the end. I would have to disagree that the serial killer subplot was unnecessary. Perhaps Zwigoff didn’t need a rather explicit killing scene, but even in a moment like that one, Zwigoff underscores it with classical music, providing a sense of irony that feels appropriate for the movie. And it seems like people don’t quite realize that it’s this subplot that carries the whole film and gives it its pay-off.
Art School Confidential perhaps needed better defined background characters, but for those who love their comedy with a biting, acid taste, this won’t be a big deal. Nevertheless, it’s funny and like all good satire, it rings true, even at its most ridiculous. You can get it on DVD right here.
It’s that time of year. Pilot season is here and networks are starting to assemble production to begin shooting their potential new series. Some of them will be picked up, most of them won’t. For the last few years we’ve been hearing how much television and streaming services have stepped up against film in terms of quality production. But in the last couple of decades there have been lots of memorable pilot/premiere episodes. Here are some of the best, in no particular order.
The Newsroom
Aaron Sorkin’s latest TV baby started off with one of the most genius scenes I’ve ever seen, setting the tone for later episodes, where Will McAvoy (Jeff Daniels) would continue to be ruthless and dig for the raw truth in every interview.
Daniels was nominated for a Golden Globe and won an Emmy for his role in The Newsroom, and rightfully so. The way he conveyed Will’s character from the beginning of the series was very powerful, especially in the pilot and first season of the show, which was the best by far.
Lost
Over 10 years ago, this show made a huge impact when it premiered. There wasn’t anything like it. Lost quickly became an unstoppable phenomenon, presenting mystery after mystery every week until it ended six years later with a series finale airing at the same time in several countries, something that had never been done before with a drama show. It was that important to fans avoiding spoilers.
The pilot, divided in two parts, both directed by J.J. Abrams, starts with a plane crash in the coast of an island. It presents three of the main characters, Jack (Matthew Fox), Kate (Evangeline Lily) and Charlie (Dominic Monaghan), using flashback scenes, a technique that would prominently be used throughout the rest of the series. This first episode broke a record in ratings, earning the attention of 18.6 million viewers.
The Walking Dead
Since this show was presented in 2010, it has been the subject of controversy, but it’s still going strong with plans for a new season later this year.
Based on Robert Kirkman’s graphic novels, The Walking Dead pilot starts with Deputy Sheriff Rick Grimes waking up after having been shot to a world overrun by zombies (which are not called that… and they make sure to let us know). The beginning, contrary to what some might expect is not rushed and it doesn’t have a lot of action. But the emotion and drama is all in the right moments. The series in general might have had its ups and downs, but the pilot is not something to be missed.
Buffy
Buffy the Vampire Slayer has always been one of my favorite TV shows of all time. Many of its season premieres were memorable (remember Dracula?), including the pilot.
Many showrunners choose to re-shoot the premiere episodes of their series once they’ve been picked up by a network. Joss Whedon, creator of Buffy, had the opportunity to do it and also find a replacement for the actress who first portrayed Willow. The addition of Alyson Hannigan to the cast was one of his best decisions as the character would be of vital importance later on.
In the pilot we also saw the first encounter between Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) and Angel (David Boreanaz), who would then get his own spin-off show as a private detective of the supernatural.
Sherlock
It’s widely known that BBC’s Sherlock is close to turning out perfect every single time, starting with the pilot. From Sherlock’s first appearance to his immediate impression on Watson (Martin Freeman), this first, very well crafted episode easily catches the viewers’ attention. It’s another one that was re-shot, adding the superimposed text messages, thoughts, clues, etc., a characteristic of this modern version of the classic Sherlock Holmes.
The show that catapulted Benedict Cumberbatch to fame is only 3 episodes long per season, each one having 90 minutes of duration. But its success has made it one of the most anticipated series whenever a new season has been announced (not every year, unfortunately).
Welcome to the Untouchable Classics Series. Here, we’ll take a look back at films which captured our hearts and imaginations, and the hope they are never given the dreaded ‘Reboot’ treatment. Once a month we will pick five ‘Untouchables’ and discuss why they should be left to bask in their glory.
So without further ado, let’s begin.
1. Back To The Future
Released in 1985 and directed by Robert Zemeckis, this is one of the greatest trilogies ever made. Back To The Future is a clinic in storytelling and continuity, which is full of twists, turns, and laughs. It’s a testament to the quality of film-making when watching today, just how good it looks and how much fun it is. This film has a partnership which has more chemistry and feeling in it than you can shake a stick at. Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd as Marty and Doc are excellent and their partnership is the driving force behind the trilogy. It does make you wonder if this would have been the case if Eric Stoltz would have been Marty as originally planned.
The look and feel of the film is something I don’t think could be replicated if it’s ever re-booted. Sure the effects would be a lot better, but it wouldn’t look as authentic as it did back in 1985. You have to smile when the 3-D shark appears in part II.
If you missed it, then you only need to watch the reaction to seeing Michael J. Fox and Chris Lloyd together for the 25th anniversary, to see how much these movies meant to people.
You may have watched when originally released or with a parent, but, either way, this film has been around a long time and doesn’t show any signs of losing its fans just yet. This would change if rebooted, though, so let’s just leave it alone shall we?
2. The Usual Suspects
Directed by Bryan Singer and written by Christopher McQuarrie, The Usual Suspects is a neo-noir crime thriller with an all-star cast. The film tells the story of Roger “Verbal” Kint, one of only two survivors of a massacre and fire on a ship. Verbal recounts his story and the story of a shadowy criminal known as Keyzer Soze.
Kevin Spacey won Best Supporting Actor for his role as Verbal and it’s easy to see why. Singer does a fantastic job keeping the story moving along and dealing with double and triple crosses easily. The film also boasts one of the best endings in film history. When the big reveal happens, it’s a jaw on the floor moment.
The cast list for the movie is top-notch and includes Gabriel Byrne, Benicio Del Toro, Stephen Baldwin, Kevin Pollak, Chazz Palminteri and Pete Postlethwaite. Each actor brings their A-game in this film and its one of the coolest heist/murder mystery flicks ever made. Even after the movie is over and the big reveal has happened, it will make you review everything you have just watched and becomes a completely different movie.
3. Jaws
In 1975, people became very hesitant about going for a dip in the sea. Based on the 1974 Peter Benchley novel of the same name, Steven Spielberg’s Jaws tells the story of a great white shark terrorizing the residents of Amity Island.
I can clearly remember the first time I ever watched this film and feeling completely terrified. It was more to do with the fact that you hardly saw the shark. It was enough to just catch glimpses of it, or to see from its point of view. Speilberg got this right and scared you by using just your imagination. It makes finally seeing the shark properly for the first time all the more shocking. This film also has some of the most recognized music in film history. All it takes is “Da Da, da da” and the hairs stand up on the back of your neck.
The film also succeeds by giving you a hero to root for who isn’t the typical type of hero you would normally have. Roy Scheider is Brody, the town sheriff, up against the monster shark and a town who for a large part of the film, don’t believe him. It makes the ending much sweeter when he delivers the “smile, you son of a bitch” line.
4. The Matrix
It’s not very often that you can say a movie came out and changed the trajectory of cinema. In 1999, The Matrix pulled it off. Starring Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss and Hugo Weaving, directed and written by Andy Wachowski and Lana Wachowski, the film blew away audiences when released.
It wasn’t just the story which had people talking, it was also that amazing fight sequences. Using techniques never used before, The Wachowski’s created “Bullet Time”, which has since been used in many other films, but never as effectively as in The Matrix. What this film also did was show how committed to the roles the actors were. Each member underwent intense training so the fight sequences could be done by themselves as much as possible.
Filming these kinds of scenes today seems simple, and is seen in films and even tv shows. the technology has far surpassed anything we were first shown back in 1999. In the sequels, they started to use CGI more when it came to the fights, and it took some of the magic away from the sequences as they became less believable.
This first film is one of the best sci-fi films made in the last 30 years. If they had never made the sequels then this would have made an already great film, perfect. The ending poses so many questions, it would have been nice to just leave it there for people to discuss and debate.
The training sequence in this film is one of the coolest fights ever put on film, so much so, I’ll just leave this here for you.
Written and directed by Quentin Tarantino in 1994, Pulp Fiction is still considered one of the best-written films of all time. From the style of the film to the order the movie plays out (out of chronological order for those who haven’t seen it), it is just a masterclass in filmmaking.
The movie had one of the most impressive casts on board including Bruce Willis, Ving Rhames, Christopher Walken andTim Roth. The main players were Uma Thurman, Samuel L. Jackson, and John Travolta. Travolta was nominated for an Oscar and had his career resurrected thanks to the success of the film. Pulp Fiction is famously known for the dialogue and speeches that the actors get to deliver. Mainly the Samuel L. Jackson speech reg The Path of The Righteous man
Pulp Fiction made it clear the Tarantino was an extremely talented voice and a one of a kind director. This remake will never happen, I’m sure of it.
I’ll be back next month with five more ‘Untouchables’.
Are there any you want on the list? If so, let me know.
Agent Carter kicked off its second season with a bit of a whimper. It’s difficult for a TV show to keep momentum up, though, when its setting and a number of its cast is changed. With Peggy’s move to LA and the introduction of new characters to the show, last week’s season premiere felt more like a pilot than a continuation of a story. Now, though, the jarring effect of having moved to the other side of the country has faded, Agent Carter has gotten its bearings, and the show is off and running. But what is it running to? Please see my spoiler-ful breakdown and review below:
Last week we were treated to the introduction of a few new characters. It appears that Calvin Chadwick, Whitney Frost (whose real name is Agnes Cully, apparently), Jason Wilkes, and Vernon Masters are all here to stay. As I mentioned last week, Whitney Frost and Jason Wilkes are both names that have appeared in Marvel comics from the ’60s and ’70s, Whitney Frost being an alias of someone that Peggy should definitely have her eye on. Along with these, though, a familiar face visited Carter and Sousa in LA this week, Chief Jack Thompson from the New York division of SSR.
This visitation serves the show by allowing the familiar combination of Carter, Sousa, and Thompson to reconnect and swap information on the leads they’re following. At the same time that these conferences serve to move the plot of the show along, both the familiarity of the characters and the way they interact with each other serve to help the audience reconnect with the show. In fact, familiar interactions were a theme throughout this week’s episode of Agent Carter. Not only was the audience treated to the trio of Carter, Sousa, and Thompson, we were also treated to a re-connection between Peggy Carter, Howard Stark, and Edwin Jarvis. And, although Jason Wilkes was added to the equation this week, there was still plenty of time to set off the familiar chemistry these three actors share in these roles.
Beyond just seeing old acquaintances reconnect, though, this week’s Agent Carter also delivered the goods when the audience got to see Whitney Frost’s special abilities at work. Her interaction with “Zero Matter” in last week’s episode appears to have left Frost with the uncontrollable ability to make people disappear when she touches them.
Kid Colt outruns his pursuers
In terms of characters from Marvel comics that made an appearance in this week’s episode, the movie that the audience sees Howard Stark directing is based on Kid Colt. This mention is the closest the show has yet come to featuring a genuine Golden Age Timely Comics character, Kid Colt first appearing in Kid Colt #1 in 1948.
The unfortunate part about all of the above is that with these new story elements presenting themselves we can rest assured that any callback to last season’s shocking reveal of Arnim Zola will either be a long way off or never come at all. Instead of forging ahead with an interesting story of its own, Agent Carter seems doomed to rehash ideas from Marvel TV and ABC’s other property, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. This season of Agent Carter’s use of zero matter, which could be related to either the monolith that sent Agent Simmons to a distant planet or the goo that enveloped Dr. Franklin Hall in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., and the very tenuous connection between Hydra and Agent Carter’s Arena Club both seem to be evidence that this will be the trend.
Last night’s capper of The 100‘s season three premiere, ‘Wanheda Part 2’, finished off what would have been a wonderful episode if allowed to be released as a two-hour special. Tensions built up from Part 1 escalated instead of being paid off, new characters were introduced and given context as to how they fit into this fiendish world and old alliances clashed with new ones as new moral grounds were broken, sure to be explored as the season moves along.
[FULL SPOILERS AHEAD]
Jaha and A.L.I.E.’s City of Light turns out looks just like every Tomorrowland version of the future we’ve seen since the 1950s. We haven’t seen very much of it but we also feel like we’ve seen a lot of it, as buildings with a futuristic sheen loom over a lush green and blue landscape. If it feels too good to be true, then your feelers are working correctly.
Coming out of his drug-induced “meditation”, Jaha takes Emori’s tribesmate into the woods to get a bit Evangelical. As the disfigured hulk, Gideon, still maintains his own religious experience, Emori convinces Murphy that stealing the techno-backpack that harbors A.L.I.E. is a good idea. Unfortunately, Gideon catches her and begins hulk-strangling her. As Murphy’s attempts to bludgeon Gideon fail, Gideon states, “There is no pain in the City of Light,” just before Emori slashes his throat.
Emori and Murphy don’t get far with the technopack as Emori’s tribesmate, now fully under the spell of Jaha’s Light, and Jaha catch up to them. Murphy and Jaha have never seen eye-to-eye but are a great pair on screen because of their opposing worldview and their sometimes willingness to overlook the means to get the ends. Here, though, Murphy and Jaha face another setback as Murphy tosses the technopack in to the lake and he and Emori take off on the boat.
Entering the City of Light for what must be the hundredth time and seeing the same exact thing as always, Jaha learns that as well as no pain in the City of Light, there is also no death as Gideon reveals his now non-disfigured, very much alive head.
Have I mentioned that the City of Light is BAD NEWS?
Back at Arkadia, Lincoln’s Grounder brother Nyka rides into camp sporting a gruesome wound. Abi tells Octavia and Lincoln that the only blood that can help him resides within Mt. Weather, which has been considered forbidden grounds in lieu of the Skaikru-Grounder agreement. Lincoln decides to risk it, and Nyko is taken to Mt. Weather and saved from certain death. Finally, Nyko comes to believe Lincoln that Mt. Weather is something to use, not something to be afraid of.
Also, Jasper goes back to the mausoleum that has become Mt. Weather and mopes and cries and destroys priceless pieces of art. His sadness is warranted but it’s now very well-documented and any further time witnessing Jasper lash out will be sadly wasted as the hammer has driven the nail firmly into oblivion.
Elsewhere, our pals Bellamy, Monty, Kane and Indra discover that the trap sprung on them isn’t a Grounder one but, in fact, one set by the surviving members of Farm Station including: a teacher from the Ark and now expert Grounder-killer known as Charles Pike and… MONTY’S MOMMA! Pike isn’t quick to understand why Kane and those at Arkadia have aligned with the Grounders but is on board for now. Also being an expert tracker, Pike leads the group to Niyah’s trading post where she is almost killed by the partner of Clarke’s captor, looking for Wanheda. Niyah’s saved for now and I’m sure will get the chance to rear her ugly (not actually at all) head once Clarke and Lexa start getting comfortable again.
Still scouting for Clarke, Bellamy glimpses her across a field (blonde again after a scuffle in a river), bound and being led by her captor. Unfortunately, there is also an army of Ice Nationers marching straight down the field as well, blocking the path to Clarke’s salvation. The group hides in a cave and, like clockwork once everyone’s heads are turned, Bellamy sneaks off on another crazy-ass infiltration plan. This time, he goes full Sam and Frodo into the Plateau of Gorgoroth and fits himself with nearby Ice Nation garb. Quickly infiltrating their ranks, Bellamy slips through and finds where Clarke is being held prisoner. Not quickly enough though as the captor slams Bellamy to the ground holding his sword to Bellamy’s throat. Clarke begs for Bellamy to be shown mercy and after some uncomfortable seconds where other notable deaths flashed before my eyes, he is spared, albeit stabbed in the leg to ensure Bellamy doesn’t follow.
Clarke’s captor, fulfilling his duty, brings a hooded Clarke to the feet of who we’re led to believe is the Ice Nation Queen. The captor stated that Clarke is his readmission ticket after having been banished from the tribe for reasons unknown. Clarke’s hood is removed and we realize that this isn’t the Ice Nation Queen, IT’S LEXA. Lexa, with Indra now standing at her side after she left to warn her upon seeing the huge army on the plains, tells her guards to take away Clarke’s captor, Prince Roan, refusing to lift the banishment and nullifying whatever deal they had in exchange for Clarke. Lexa tries to apologize to Clarke but the hate and anger is still too fresh on Clarke’s mind after Lexa’s betrayal at Mt. Weather. Clarke is dragged off screaming, threatening, promising that Lexa will feel the wrath of the Wanheda once and for all. Lexa walks off onto her balcony, letting us see the makeshift skyscraper from which she operates. Grounder Nation is mighty indeed.
Now having seen the full premiere, I think The 100 finds itself nicely set up for all the action and moral complexes to follow. When Roan held the knife to Bellamy’s throat, I flashed-back to a young Wells Jaha being murdered just a few episodes into season one and a captive Finn being mercy-killed in season two. Bellamy is too key a piece to be killed off so unceremoniously and early in this season but I’m also reminded of how vicious this show can be. Roan brandishing that knife and evoking this fear was Jason Rothenberg and co. winking their eye at the viewer. They remember what they’re doing, so don’t get all comfy on them yet. Character relationships and moral lines need to be established and drawn before any actions are taken. Everything feels a tad too reactionary to prior events but we’re also set up well for the future. Now, we are ready to witness Nyko and Lincoln attempting to convince the Grounders to use Mt. Weather as a tool, Clarke and Lexa having to reconcile Lexa’s betrayal and Clarke’s ensuing capture, Farm Nation coming to terms with a Grounder truce (sure to place Monty’s poor mom in danger) and the estranged Ice Nation Prince, Roan’s, comeuppance now having also been betrayed by Lexa and taken into custody all going forward as central conflicts.
The 100 always spends time building its castle before tearing it down but never for too long. I’m sure other shoes will drop very, very swiftly and we’ll be just as shocked and heartbroken when they do.
Monday night on Fox, the third episode of The X-Files revival written/directed by Darin Morgan will air nationally, and the episode is stellar because it’s the most balanced one to date.
For those who aren’t familiar with Morgan’s work on the original run of the series, he’s delivered such goofy paranormal gems such as “Humbug,” “Clyde Bruckman’s Final Repose,” “War of the Coprophages,” and “Jose Chung’s from Outer Space.” This episode has the suspense of “Founder’s Mutation” but with an added bit comedic wit that was a trademark at times during The X-Files initial series run. Most importantly this is the first time in the three episodes where Mulder (David Duchovny) and Scully (Gillian Anderson) appear comfortable on screen and having fun as well.
The third episode takes place in Oregon where a dead body in the woods leads to Mulder and Scully being called in to investigate whether it was an animal attack, a serial killer or just maybe a strange creature described by the eyewitness. Meanwhile, Mulder confronts some of his demons about feeling disillusioned with his life’s work. The quality of the episode is boosted as well by the tremendous comedic performances by Kumail Nanjiani (“Silicon Valley”) and Rhys Darby (“Flight of the Concords”)
In “Mulder & Scully Meet the Were-Monster” the energy is up, the jokes are flying fast, and the audiences witness how fun The X-Files can be when it doesn’t take itself too seriously. One of the many highlights in Sunday’s episode has to be Mulder’s inability to use a cell phone. During the events of “Mulder and Scully Meet the Were-Monster”, Mulder gets this idea that he’s going to use the new app on his phone to capture any supernatural activity as they hunt for the “were-monster.” As the episode unfolds we begin to realize that Mulder’s savviness with his phone is akin to a “Factory Of Sadness.”
What makes this episode so balanced is that it possess an equal amount of comedic moments as well the supernatural elements that draw everyone to The X-Files. At the heart of this episode is a mystery involving unexplained deaths caused by a person who has human-like features but looks nothing like any human we’ve encountered. Morgan strikes a critical balance in this episode managing to keep us in suspense just long enough to keep us guessing at the origin of the “Were-Monster.”
The most surprising observation was just how much more at ease Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny were in this episode. Morgan’s writing allowed Anderson and Duchovny to slip into that acting zone they were in at the height of The X-Files popularity. If anyone were just to watch the third episode, it would be easy to assume that the it was part of a long-running show not part of a mini-series. It seems that Morgan’s writing style and structure rekindled magic the audience hasn’t witnessed in fourteen years.
As we are now halfway through The X-Files Revival, it’s safe to say that the episodes are improving each week. If this trend continues, don’t be surprised if they announce an eleventh full season.
The critically acclaimed Netflix original show, House of Cards, has gotten renewed for a fifth season that will release in 2017. This may come as a bit of a surprise to House of Cards fans considering season four hasn’t even been released, let alone gotten a proper trailer for season four!
Sadly, showrunner Beau Willimon will not be returning for the fifth season. He issued a statement saying he is grateful for the opportunity and that it is time for him to move on.
“I’m grateful to Netflix and MRC, my fellow executive producers, our two incandescent stars Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright, our talented writers, as well as the incredible cast and crew with whom I’ve had the privilege to work,” he said. “After five years and four seasons, it’s time for me to move on to new endeavors, but I’m supremely proud of what we’ve built together, wish the show much continued success, and leave it in the hands of a very capable team.”
Netflix also issued a statement saying they are incredibly grateful for the work Willimon produced. After all, he did pretty much kick off Netflix’s original programming.
“Netflix and [film and television studio] MRC owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to Beau Willimon for his strong narrative vision for House of Cards over the show’s first four seasons,” Netflix said in a statement. “As an Academy Award-nominated writer, he made his first foray into television and built a riveting and critically acclaimed series, establishing his place in TV history. The producers, cast and crew join us in wishing Beau the best in his next creative adventure.”
Lots of people thought (and sort of hoped) that season four would be the final season, most people expected this upcoming season to be the downfall of President Frank Underwood but it would appear that’s not the case. Truthfully, no one wants the political drama to overstay its welcome. Hopefully Netflix will know when to pull the plug on the show so we can remember it fondly rather than the show that went on for too long.
If Netflix decides to continue tradition House of Cards season five will premiere early 2017. Meanwhile, you can House of Cards season four starting March 4th, 2016.
Lucha Underground: If Pro Wrestling Was A Cult Horror Movie!
The Season 2 Premiere of El Rey Network’s original show Lucha Underground was an over-the-top extravaganza of wrestling, campy horror cliches, and wonderful storytelling!
If you are looking for a fun way to spend your Wednesday nights; you have to peek at Lucha Underground. The hybrid show ups the “fake” stories found in wrestling to something far more obscure allowing for more interesting characters & wilder adventures to take the viewers on. Mixing classic pro-wrestling with film worthy segments between each match, the show is unlike anything else.
Here’s 5 reasons the Season 2 premiere is a must see:
5. The First Season Featured An Arm Breaking Demon & A Dude Who Turned Into A Dragon!
-Here’s quick recap of Season 1 to give you a taste of the madness that is Lucha Underground: The mad man Dario Cueto, who “created” this wrestling company, crafted a championship belt made of cursed aztec gold and welcomed any challenger to try to win the belt. This brought everyone from female wrestlers to Mexican luchador legends to the temple of violence. When we last saw Lucha Underground, Mil Muertes & partner in crime Catrina ruled over all of The Lucha Underground Temple by claiming all the titles and kicking out Dario!
4. The Heavyweight Champion Is Basically A Masked Vampire King.
-The entire premiere episode was being watched by the evil ruler Mil Muertes. He sat on a throne like chair above the arena and watched the competitors fight throughout the night. Another one of the crazy characters Lucha is known for, Mil Muertes (which translates to Thousand Deaths) is the current Heavyweight Champion of the company. With his sexy sidekick, the masked deadman gave the show an ominious presences. Simple & masterful camp storytelling at it’s finest!
3. The First Match Was A Stellar Stunt Show!
-To kick off the action for the night was two luchadors named Fenix & King Cuerno. The ruthless King Cuerno is a “big game hunter”; he likes to fight for the big prizes so he is challenging Fenix for his “Gift Of The God’s” Championship. Fenix, who’s basically one of the only pure good guys in Lucha, won the “Gift Of The God’s” Championship last season which gives him a chance to turn in that belt at anytime for a shot at the heavyweight champion. If you want to see what pro-wrestling should look like, you have to see the match between the men! With amazing kicks, flips, and tricks…there was never a dull moment in this opener!
2. Former Trio Champions Faced Off!
-Most wrestling companies have a tag team title where two people defend their title. Lucha Underground thought that was far too simple for their show so they decided to make a Trio’s Championship. The first Trio Champions were the random pairing of the masker biker Son of Havoc, the high flying Angélico, and tough chick Ivelisse and they defended their title until they couldn’t overcome the odds anymore. Now the title-less trio has to face each other per order of Catrina. The match was hard-hitting and fast paced; each member getting a moment to truly shine but the real star was Ivelisse. She stole the spotlight and eventually stole the win from her allies by rolling up Angélico!
1. A Female Wrestler Challenged The Champion!
-Immediately following her sneaky win in the previous match, Ivelisse faced off against the giant Mil Muertes for his title. This match was one of the first times in recent memory where I can think of a women challenging the heavyweight champion of their company for a title. It was also the first time for a split-second I thought we’d see a female world heavyweight champion in wrestling! The match was obviously fairly one-sided once Muertes’s henchmen took out Ivelisse’s tag partners but that didn’t stop the feisty former trio champion from trying to kick the big bad’s ass. The masked champion retained but before he could further harm Ivelisse, the returning former champion Prince Puma saved the day!
What’s to come on Episode 2 of Lucha Underground next Wednesday on El Rey Network?!
Does this make you want to check out Lucha Underground? Did you catch the Season 2 Premiere?
Don’t forget to comment below!
Batman and Robin is the absolute worst Batman film ever made, according to fans. It is degrading toward superhero movies, comic book properties, Batman, Robin, Batgirl, Bob Kane, Bill Finger, storytelling, action scenes, cinematography, acting, set design, men, women, scientists, superheroes, villains, 90s fashion, hairstyles, architecture, urban design, color, sound, and smell. The movie has no sense of smell, but somehow is offensive to the very concept of odor.
However, I dare to ask, is it really that bad? Well… yes. It’s horrendous and always will be. But I underestimated how “so-bad-it’s-good” this train wreck actually is.
“It’s a sad day for crime fighters everywhere, old chum.”
Joel Schumacher returned to direct, and Akiva Goldsmith wrote the script. For those of you who don’t know, Goldsmith has written some groundbreaking hits like, The Client, A Beautiful Mind, and the series Fringe. He’s also written some bombs like I, Robot, Starsky and Hutch, Deep Blue Sea, and this atrocity. He’s living proof that sometimes good writers can create garbage.
The film takes place after Batman Forever; Bruce Wayne is now full partners with Dick Grayson, and the two go out to fight crime as the dynamic duo. Chris O’Donnell returns to play the Boy Wonder (although in this case his title is “The Young Twenty Something Wonder” but that just doesn’t have a good ring to it) who whines more than Luke Skywalker ever could. Meanwhile, George Clooney comes in to fill in for Val Kilmer’s last-minute departure from the movie. In my review of Batman Forever, I mentioned that Val Kilmer didn’t really seem to fit into the role. This is even more so with Clooney. His demeanor, his movements, his actions are akin to some sort of lost puppy in a Batman costume, and not the Caped Crusader. Clooney did not enjoy this role, and to this day he talks about how horrible the film was.
However, not all the blame for this movie can be placed on Clooney. Arnold Schwarzenegger as Mr. Freeze and Uma Thurman as Poison Ivy are laughably terrible as well. Thurman plays her Poison Ivy similar to Michelle Pfeiffer’s Catwoman: sexual, aggressive, and seductive. The difference is that Pfeiffer managed to create a popular fan base, and had a genuinely intriguing arc. Thurman did not, she gets the typical mad scientist gets doused with chemicals origin story that transforms her from an ugly nerd to a smoking hot nature goddess that has the typical, destroy humanity for the good of the Earth campaign.
And then there is Schwarzenegger as Mr. Freeze. I’m personally convinced that he took this role specifically to say as many ice themed puns as possible. I don’t feel that Goldsmith wrote all the puns, I think Schwarzenegger made up all of them and just kept going with it because he was so happy that he came up with all of them. English wasn’t his first language as a young kid, so the fact that he mastered all these puns must have felt like a real triumph. To be fair, he looks like he’s having the time of his life performing in this role. Throughout most of his performance he wears this big smile, even in that armored suit.
“Arnold, can you close your mouth a little? You look like you’re about to eat the diamond. You can’t do that. I know you were Mr. Universe, but you still can’t eat a diamond.”
What’s really funny is they chose to use the Mr. Freeze origin story from Batman: The Animated Series, which is the most popular and tragic story of the character. Somehow, even with the image of Nora Fries cryogenically suspended in water, and the great weight of Freeze’s back story, they still make him a goofy schmuck who makes terrible jokes all the time. Of course, they also turned Two-Face into a crazy weirdo who makes bad jokes too.
Batgirl and Bane make an appearance in the film as well. There’s not much to say about either of them considering both aren’t in the movie for that long. Bane is not the cold calculating force of pure muscle from the comics, but rather a mindless monster, and Alicia Silverstone plays a spunky, tough as nails Batgirl. Though for some reason she’s Alfred’s niece and not Commissioner Gordon’s daughter. It’s kind of weird to change the origin, but the film focuses on Alfred and Bruce’s relationship. It’s actually not that bad an idea for a plot about Batman, but it’s just not handled well at all.
Every joke is corny and cheesy. Every plot thread is over the top and unfocused. None of the actors fit their roles, even when they’re having a good time performing. It has an underwhelming lead, laughable bad guys, and a terrible script. However, it reaches the so bad it’s funny stage perfectly. It’s fun to watch with friends and laugh at all the stupid decisions made in the movie. It’s definitely the type of movie that you should make a drinking game out of with buddies, as it is incredibly entertaining. Just don’t watch it by yourself, or you might succumb to a form of nihilistic disdain toward all superhero movies.
Schumacher apologized for the film’s existence, and has said many times that the executives in charge weren’t interested in a good product, but rather trying their hardest to milk the Batman cash cow. However, the film was a huge box office bomb and the Warner Bros. decided against making another Batman movie with Schumacher again at the helm. They buried the franchise, and decided to move on… Until Christopher Nolan came into the picture, but we’ll get to that later.
Okay, not going to lie; this is a cool image.
Next time on “Road to Batman V. Superman” we dive right into the film that killed the Superman franchise, Superman IV: The Quest For Peace. A movie that did understand the basic concepts of international politics, and had Nuclear Man, the supervillain with press on nails… This is going to be painful.
