Old Man Logan #1 Review: A New Wolverine is Here

January 28, 2016

In the future the world is separated. Lands controlled by villains. Villains who ganged together and massacred many of the strongest and greatest of the Super Heroes the world had ever known. In 2008 Mark Millar (Kingsman: The Secret Service) and Steve McNiven (Death of Wolverine) introduced us to a new Wolverine. Or, to be more accurate, to an old Wolverine. The New York Times bestselling series, Old Man Logan returned to the spotlight as a tie-in with Marvel’s over-extended 2015 Secret Wars Event, written by Brian Michael Bendis (Powers, Ultimate Spider-Man) with art by Andrea Sorrentino (Green Arrow, All-New X-Men). And now, the Old Man is getting his own ongoing title with Marvel’s All-New, All-Different Universe.

For anyone waking up naked in the middle of a large city, it would be hard to accept. It would be even harder when you cannot remember who you are, where you came from and had incredibly sharp adamantium claws slicing through your hands. But that fear and worry is easily alleviated by a little police style electroshock therapy to the back. Once again aware of whom he is, and a little detective work of when he is, the Old Man Logan, takes up the task of making sure a future he had known for 50 years does not come to fruition in this all-new timeline. A new shirt, a new hat and a hit list later, the Wolverine is back.

Can I just say, ever since I, Vampire, the very short lived series from DC Comic’s New 52, I have loved reading almost anything that Andea Sorrentino does. His art is a mix between the lines and veins of Jae Lee and the shadows and dark eyes of horror artist Damian Worm. His rough style not only reinforces a characters musculature but raw emotion as well. As Old Man Logan was moved from a strictly Secret Wars tie-in to a Marvel All-New, All-Different ongoing series with Sorrentino continuing as the artist, the sheer jubilance I felt was surreal.

Alongside colorist Marcelo Maiolo (Batman Beyond), the art is breathtaking. Reds, greens and browns depict a Logan that has been unfulfilled and lost for decades, but with a soft brightness that depicts a new beginning or, better yet, a reboot that could lead to the complete deletion of his own future. Yet the styling does not stray from the color themes and rough action scenes of McNiven’s original imagery.

And, if anyone could follow up Millar’s story like Sorrentino to McNiven, it would be Jeff Lemire. Descender from Image Comics, Bloodshot Reborn with Valiant Comics and All-New Hawkeye with Marvel, Jeff Lemire has to be one of the busiest and most talented writers in the current comics industry. Along with his history of New York Times Bestsellers and a short list of still yet-to-be-released titles, Lemire is also penning the Extraordinary X-Men, the first of the All-New, All-Different X-titles. The first title to introduce Old Man Logan following the Secret Wars event.

Need I say more? Lemire’s story telling is nothing short than “on target”. The only way that I would ever be interested in reading a new ongoing Old Man Logan title would be if someone wrote a semi-realistically emotionally driven tale of rebirth. One that was just slightly unbelievable enough that the reader’s mind remains aware that the struggles are that of a fictional character. And Lemire hit every single feeling. One page became the next and, before I knew it, the book was over and I find myself impatiently looking up the release date for the second Issue. (It is February 10^th, by the way!)

Yet, this book does have a flaw. If you have never read the original Old Man Logan Trade Paperback, I would strongly suggest picking it up before grabbing this #1. When it comes to certain revenge schemes or extended memories sequences, the references within the original title would be greatly beneficial. Either that or make sure you have Wikipedia up for some basic support. Though I would suggest grabbing Old Man Logan Vol 0, the Secret Wars tie-in, it is not nearly as directly connected to this story as Millar’s title is, and thus not really considered so much a required reading.

**Note: If you would like to try picking up Extraordinary X-Men #1, I would suggest grabbing the tie-in since it explains the relationship between the time-displaced Jean Grey and the Old Man.

Old Man Logan #1 is most definitely worth the pick-up. Make sure to stop by your local comic retailer and grab your copy today.

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Dax Shepard and Kristen Bell Honor Band Toto With ‘Africa’ Music Video

Matthew Sardo

January 28, 2016

Dax Shepard published a video on Wednesday that challenged every couple to up their adorable game, as Shepard and wife, Kristen Bell created a music video from their trip to Africa, using the music of Toto.

“This was our last trip before having kids. Our sole objective was to rage hard and honor Toto properly. Hope you enjoy,” said Sheppard.

This video will either make you feel warm and fuzzy or puke depending on your relationship status.

Side note, back in 2012 while filming the video, the couple was fined $50 by the Serengeti police for dancing in front of the animals.

“We wanted to see the wildebeest migrate, so we had driven five hours in the car, we finally got to them on the Serengeti, we got out of the car (and) we started doing a dance for this music video. We weren’t paying attention, and then the Serengeti police showed up, and they fined us $50 for dancing at the Serengeti,” said Shepard.

Up next for Sheppard, the actor just completed filming on CHiPs, a remake of the 70s TV show. Michael Peña is his co-star as Frank ‘Ponch’ Poncherello. Bell is currently filming Bad Moms with Mila Kunis, Christina Applegate, Kathryn Hahn, and Jada Pinkett Smith. Bell also has The Boss coming out April 8.

Original Music Video By Toto ‘Africa’

Kristen Bell in ‘The Boss’ With Melissa McCarthy

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‘Spider-Man’ – 5 Villains To Add To The Marvel Cinematic Universe

Chris Hartmann

January 28, 2016

Over the course of the 5 previous Spider-Man movies we’ve met many of Spider-Man’s greatest enemies including; Doctor Octopus, the Lizard, Rhino, Sandman, Venom, Electro and three versions of the Green Goblin. 2017 will see Spider-Man return to the big screen in another rebooted series this time as a part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Luckily for the Sony/Marvel production team Spider-Man has one of the greatest collection of enemies in comic book history. Let’s take a look at some of the villains Spider-Man could face in this new movie series.

Mysterio

A former Hollywood special effects wiz, the most well-known Mysterio is Quentin Beck who after failing in his dream career decided to put his specialist talents to use in a life of crime. A master of hypnosis and creating grand illusions, Mysterio also utilised his abilities to combat Spider-Man on a more psychological level. Mysterio even invented an hallucinogenic gas that could interfere with his Spider-Sense. Although better known as a member of the Sinister Six, Mysterio’s distinct skill-set could make for a very different battle with the new Spider-Man.

Kraven the Hunter

Sergei Kravinoff or Kraven the Hunter is an unbalanced Russian big-game hunter who travels to New York City in order to defeat Spider-Man and prove himself to be the world’s greatest hunter. Kraven is at the peak of human fitness and is an expert at hand-to-hand combat. Mostly famous for an excellent series known as Kraven’s Last Hunt where he relentlessly stalks and eventually manages to defeat Spider-Man leaving him comatose. Kraven then adopts the Spider-Man identity – in his mind, proving not only that can he defeat Spider-Man, but that he can beat him at his own game. This storyline could present Spider-Man with his darkest movie yet.

Scorpion

Scorpion AKA Mac Gargan is a private investigator who was originally hired by Daily Bugle editor and regular Spider-Man antagonist, J. Jonah Jameson to find out how Peter Parker is able to achieve such amazing photos of Spider-Man. Gargan of course fails and Jameson with help from the Scientist, Dr. Sitwell is able to transform Gargan into the Scorpion via genetic manipulation and a technological super-suit. Scorpion is often a physical match for Spider-Man, his only weakness is that the genetic treatment that grants him his powers eventually causes him to lose his mind.

Spider Slayers

Funded by J. Jonah Jameson, the original Spider Slayers were mechanised robots created by Scientist, Spencer Smythe to hunt down and kill Spider-Man. Spencer eventually died due a disease caused by the radioactive materials used in creating his robots. His project was continued by his son, Alistair Smythe. Alistair created a bio-organic armour that enabled him to physically take on Spider-Man with an assortment of physical enhancements and Spider-like powers. Spider-Man against a father and son duo of villains would a be an interesting option for a new movie, plus he could then take on two very different physical foes as well.

Kingpin

A slight bending of the rules as Kingpin is already in the MCU as the arch-enemy to Daredevil in his Netflix series. However, Wilson Fisk was originally a Spider-Man foe, the Kingpin of New York City manipulating every element of crime. His appearance in a Spider-Man movie could show that his influence reaches beyond Hell’s Kitchen. Spider-Man versus the vast criminal underworld could allow him to face gangsters like Tombstone and Hammerhead or even the master thief known as Black Cat. If Spider-Man was to face off with Kingpin it would probably be with Daredevil alongside him.

What villains would you like to see in the new Marvel Cinematic Universe version of Spider-Man?

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LOOKING BACK ON 2006: INSIDE MAN – A ONE OF A KIND HEIST MOVIE

Oscar Moreno

January 27, 2016

Inside Man was released in 2006 to critical and box office success. It was something of a surprise for Spike Lee to be making a genre film, but his fingerprints all over the film, making it a surprisingly rich heist flick. As time has gone by, it looks to be somewhat forgotten. It doesn’t seem to be brought up a lot in cinephile circles or anytime that Spike Lee does a new movie. Maybe people didn’t find it as transcendental, but compared to a lot of fun but forgettable movies, there’s quite a bit to chew on in Inside Man.

The movie tells the story of Detective Frazier (Denzel Washington) attempting to negotiate the rescue of hostages of a bank robbery while a power broker hired by the bank’s founder, tries to influence the outcome of the heist, as he needs something in his safe deposit box protected. The movie is entertaining from start to finish, with huge twists and surprises in nearly every scene. The cast is rock-solid with Washington giving Frazier a humane, relatable approach as a dedicated detective who struggles with commitment in his love life. Clive Owen is fantastic as the lead thief Dalton Russell, simultaneously frightening and charismatic. Even when his face is completely covered up we get a great sense of the character. Jodie Foster also brings a quality performance as Madeleine White, the power broker. But one of the best aspects of the movie is the ensemble of supporting characters. When you have the likes of Chiwetel Ejiofor and Willem Dafoe in the supporting cast, you know that Spike Lee took the casting seriously.

Lee’s directing here is top notch. He shoots in a near-documentary style that makes us feel like we’re right in the middle of the robbery ourselves. His dynamic choices for camera angles and movements also spice things up in a movie where essentially we’re in two locations: Inside and outside. On top of that, there are a few quirky, punchy touches to the soundtrack, such as the use of “Chaiyaa Chaiyaa”, a song from the Bollywood movie Dil Se to underscore the opening titles and end credits.

But perhaps what’s all the more surprising about the movie is how it manages to be rich in themes. In broad but impacting strokes, the movie touches on guilt, revenge, racism, sexism and corruption, all in the backdrop of a post-9/11 New York City. This is perhaps Lee’s greatest touch to the film and what most makes it be more than a mere popcorn movie.

If you haven’t watched Inside Man, be sure to check it out on Blu-Ray as soon as possible.

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Review: ‘Kung Fu Panda 3’ – A Colossal Comedown

Dewey Singleton - Film Critic

January 27, 2016

While visually gorgeous and entertaining, the third installment of the Kung Fu Panda series is a comedown from the previous two films. Kung Fu Panda 3 is the embodiment of what is wrong with Hollywood. Now, no one would ever blame Dreamworks for attempting to do a third installment of the wildly successful franchise, as it’s brought in a worldwide gross of $1.3 billion. Sometimes, the best idea is to quit while you’re ahead.

The film picks up on Kung Fu Panda 2‘s cliffhanger, with the discovery that Po’s real father (Bryan Cranston) survived the massacre of the panda clans and now knows his son (Jack Black) survived as well. The reunion comes at an awkward moment, with Master Shifu (Dustin Hoffman) announcing his retirement from teaching and anointing Po as the new instructor of the furious five. But when the evil Kai (J.K. Simmons) escapes from the underworld and begins defeating various kung fu masters, Po discovers that only a kung fu warrior who is a master of chi can overcome this threat. Can Po embrace his newfound panda family and learn the required skills necessary to defeat this new villain?

The film is visually marvelous. Dreamworks once again proves that they are the absolute best when it comes to using 3D to enhance storytelling. It’s worth the price of admission just to see the 3D imagery alone. At the beginning of Kung Fu Panda 3, with little warning, we are treated to a surprisingly intense scrum between two warriors in the afterlife. Even with the amazing 3D the opening sequence exposes the film’s major issue, as the villain is merely a variation on what we’ve seen in the other movies.

In the first two films, the villains were wonderfully developed, fleshed out thoroughly. Ian McShane and Gary Oldman delivered solid voice performances. Ian McShane’s character added quite a spark to the first film and Gary Oldman and painfully humanized his role as the peacock villain in the second movie. J.K. Simmons is decent as an ancient spirit which makes it just back into the real world, but the lack of development in his character causes his role to come off as a just some glorified villain of the day.

Expectations were high for co-director Jennifer Nelson Yuh and Alessandro Carloni, and they attempted to recapture the magic of the first two films. Yuh even went as far as to hire screenwriter Aibel and Glen Berger to try to craft a lighter, less violent, and less psychologically weighted film. The result is a movie that centers around rehashed narratives. The highlight of the film was in the third act when Po’s two dad’s share an emotional heart to heart talk. This heart to heart is a perfect example of the emotional honesty that we’ve come to expect from the franchise.

Kung-Fu Panda 3 is such a titanic wasted opportunity. The Kung-Fu Panda films are synonymous with heart and possessing some emotional center. This one is untenanted and lacking in any complexity that it’s hard not to wonder if Kung-Fu Panda 3 was some vanity project for the directors (Yuh and Carloni). An average effort will always result in an average product. It’s merely a good enough adventure that kids will enjoy. It’s high energy and will keep the little ones entertained enough, but adults will find themselves looking at their watches.

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‘Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2’ Post Credits Scene: Howard the Duck Part 2

Matthew Sardo

January 27, 2016

Only director James Gunn knows what will happen in the post-credits scene for Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2, but he let the world know on social media that he has it written. Which is quite different from his first go around.

In Guardian of the Galaxy, Howard the Duck was the focus of the post-credits scene and Gunn just wanted to have fun with it.

“We decided to do it very late in the game (…) We had one plan for the first tag, and another for the second tag. Originally, we were going to put Baby Groot dancing at the very end of the movie. But we kept trying to think of different things. We had a bunch of stuff with Cosmo, and different ideas, and I think it was some combination of me and the editor Fred Raskin who said, ‘Let’s put Howard The Duck in there.’ What if The Collector looks over and sees Howard The Duck sitting there? And I wrote down the line, ‘Whaddya let it lick you like that for? Gross.’ Fred and I thought it was hilarious, but we weren’t sure that Kevin Feige would go for it. But we told Kevin and Kevin couldn’t stop laughing. Every time he saw it, he was like, ‘We’re f**king crazy! We’re f**king crazy!’ – Gunn told Empire.

Do you think Gunn will use Howard again or will he move on to a different character?

Even MORE excited for #GotGVol2 after our table read yesterday. Our returning cast is even better & our new cast is amazing.

— James Gunn (@JamesGunn) January 27, 2016

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 begins production in February with an expected released date of May 5, 2017.

The film is written and directed by James Gunn and stars Bradley Cooper, Chris Pratt, Dave Bautista, Michael Rooker, Vin Diesel, Zoe Saldana, and Pom Klementieff.

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‘Togetherness’ Returns To HBO On February 21, Plus Plot Details

Matthew Sardo

January 27, 2016

HBO announced Wednesday that the Duplass Brothers’ comedy, Togetherness returns for its eight-episode second season on February 21.

The comedy series follows four adults nearing 40, trying to balance both their relationships and their individual dreams.

A look at season two:

After Brett and Michelle nearly reached their breaking points, the season one finale of TOGETHERNESS saw Michelle kissing David while Brett was driving to Sacramento to declare his commitment to her. Season two reveals how the evening played out.

Meanwhile, Michelle pushes ahead with her charter school plans as Brett looks for artistic inspiration. Following his big acting break, Alex returns from New Orleans reinvigorated. Tina presses herself to figure out what her life should look like. Through it all, this makeshift family continues to face the hilarity and anxieties of everyday life, while proving that they’re truly at their best when they’re together.

The cast of Togetherness includes Mark Duplass, Melanie Lynskey, Amanda Peet, Steve Zissis, and Abby Ryder Fortson.

The show was created by Jay Duplass, Mark Duplass and Steve Zissis.

Bring it in. #Togetherness premieres 2/21 at 10:30 on @HBO. pic.twitter.com/OTiCDAc1SH

— TogethernessHBO (@TogethernessHBO) January 21, 2016

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Deadpool Promotes Touching Yourself in Latest Promo

Anthony Composto - EIC

January 27, 2016

The marketing team for Deadpool deserves an award. Between the epic trailers, the random billboards, and the 12 Days of Deadpool last month, this is turning out to be the greatest ad campaign in comic book movie history.

In the film’s first trailer, D-Piddy inhaled the fumes from his guns and exclaimed, “I’m touching myself tonight.” Now, in the flick’s latest promo video, he’s telling you to touch yourself too…

…for a good cause. The Merc with a Mouth is helping promote Ballboys, a testicular cancer charity. He is reminding folks that “most cancers are curable if caught early,” and directing them to Ballboys’ official website to learn more. It may seem odd, but Deadpool is actually the perfect character to promote the cause, his own cancer being the reason he sought out Weapon X in the first place.

You can also use the hashtag #touchyourselftonight to raise awareness.

Check out the full video below, courtesy of JoBlo Movie Trailers, and starring Ryan Reynolds as Wade Wilson.

[embedyt] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n3PK7yIThJI[/embedyt]

Deadpool hits theaters February 12, 2016.

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More Details On Negan’s First Appearance In AMC’s ‘The Walking Dead’

Matthew Sardo

January 27, 2016

The Walking Dead returns to AMC on February 14 to start the second half of season six, but when will we see the first appearance of Negan?

“His name has been invoked and his group is certainly of growing importance, but it’s not like we are going to see him starring in an episode right off the bat,” said showrunner Scott M. Gimple.

TV Insider is reporting that you won’t actually get to see Jeffery Dean Morgan as Negan until the very last episode of the season on April 3. Executive producer and creator Robert Kirkman has stated Negan’s first appearance is “bone-chilling.”

“He is the darkest incarnation of a bully. He’s a very magnetic character; he isn’t just a sociopath. He is the star of his own movie,” said Gimple.

Kirkman also talked about the direction for the second half of the season.

“This is a huge turning point for Rick and the group, because there’s a lot of chaos and it’s very brutal. This is not the end of Alexandria, but we’ll see a different Rick Grimes as he faces possibly the biggest hardships ever,” said Kirkman.

Who do you think Negan’s first victim will be?

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Forget Mulder – There’s No X-Files Without Dana Scully

Jess Morton

January 27, 2016

News broke last week that X-Files star Gillian Anderson was initially offered half the pay as David Duchovny. The sexist Fox scandal is surprising and not surprising. Female leads have historically been offered a fraction of the pay of their male counterparts. This is the norm in the film and TV industry despite female actresses having just as much screen time, working just as hard to look screen-ready, and being all around badass. Gillian Anderson’s Dana Scully is no exception to this.

For those interested in some more details on Fox’s idiocy, The Mary Sue published a rather on-point article.

Now X-Files fans know there’s no show without Dana Scully. Without Scully Mulder would just be a lunatic rambling on about UFOs, and all the other paranormal stuff he believes in. Chris Carter, the series creator, took a female character and made her a pinnacle of the show. The X-Files 1993 pilot actually starts with Dana Scully walking into the Division Chief’s office at the FBI. At first Scully’s brought in, as all fans know, to debunk the X-Files with scientific fact. Ever the skeptic, she decisively shuts down all of Mulder’s wild theories. In The X-Files Scully puts the ‘science’ in science fiction. Yet, at the end of the pilot Special Agent Scully can’t logically explain half of what she’s witnessed in small-town Oregon. What makes Scully interesting, as a character, is how she’s developed over the course of the show. Mulder will always play as the radical, irrational, loud guy who believes in aliens. Scully will always play as the calm, intelligent, badass who autopsies corpses like a pro. New and interesting facets also get added to Scully like how she rediscovers her Catholic faith, or how she discovers her desire to have children. All of these things not only change Scully as a character, but also play into the plot of the series.

In The X-Files revival, the first episode feels like a return to the pilot. The show opens with the usual call to the X-Files mythology, continues with the iconic opening credits (complete with beloved theme music), and finally the story starts with Dana Scully. Scully is in her scrubs, readying to assist in an important surgery when she’s once again called to action by the FBI. Much like the skeptic fans know and love, Scully continues to question what Mulder throws at her. This includes everything from Sveta’s claim as alien abductee, to Tad O’Malley’s government conspiracy theories. Only with Scully’s drive for scientific confirmation can her and Mulder get to the real truth. The X-Files revival does a good job at setting up the series again, and really it feels like going back to square one conspiracy-wise. The series will bring back William Scully, and this is a serious step forward in finally solving the mythology component of the series.

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