2015 was one of the stronger years for film in recent memory, so I suspect the Academy will have a full slate of ten Best Picture nominees. The nominee list should cover the gamut of films big and small in scope, with crowdpleasers and important pictures fully represented. Without further ado, let’s get to the hopefuls and the ten nominees:
Best Picture
Mad Max: Fury Road has gained enough momentum, and has picked up a number of end-of-the-year awards thus far to find itself not only in the Best Picture pool, but a legitimate contender to win the whole thing. Other large-scale films, box-office giants from the year that was, include Ridley Scott’s The Martian and the survival epic, and massively-polarizing film, The Revenant. Hate it if you will, but the craftsmanship of Inarritu and Lubezki is deserving of notice, no matter how nauseating the media campaign might have been for months.
Taking a step down in scale, but not in quality, is the late-surging Adam McKay housing crisis dramedy, The Big Short. This is a sleeper pick, but one that has gained serious traction recently. And then there is F> Gary Gray’s docudrama Straight Outta Compton. I fully expect a Best Picture nod for the story of NWA, and the notice is well deserved. Bridge of Spies may have seemed like a lock in October, but the film has been all but forgotten aside from the performance of Mark Rylance. Expect it to be on the outside looking in. Ryan Coogler’s massive hit and franchise semi-reboot/sequel Creed will take its spot. As it should. The academy loves quality boxing stories.
On the smaller scale is Tom McCarthy’s Spotlight, which still holds on to the slightest sliver of category favorite. Then there is the 50s New York combination of Carol and Brooklyn; both will be nominated, and undoubtedly split votes. The tenth and final spot will recognize animation, as the academy is want to do when it is deserved. Inside Out is one of Pixar’s finest films, and will be recognized as such. We will see tomorrow morning when nominations are announced.
It’s confession time. I’ve never been able to fully get on board with Wonder Woman’s comic incarnation. As a character, she is fantastic, and her depiction in Bruce Timm’s Justice League animated series went a long way towards establishing Diana of Themyscira as one of the most compelling female characters I’d encountered. Indeed, where placed in the capable hands of writers title like Gail Simone and Greg Rucka, then the Princess of the Amazons shows us all why her character has endured for nearly 75 years. Sadly, this has tended to be the exception rather than the rule. With Wonder Woman set to make her live-action film debut in Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice, it was only natural that DC would seek to push the character in a big way. The Legend of Wonder Woman is a retelling of the character’s mythological origins and hopes to show everyone that Xena isn’t the only warrior princess deserving of your attention.
The Legend of Wonder Woman is a nine-issue limited series written and drawn by Renae De Liz (The Last Unicorn, Womanthology) with colouring, inking and lettering by RayR Dillon. It’s rare that you see this kind of auteur sensibility in mainstream comics anymore that would allow one creative mind to write and draw the comic. This singular vision provides the creator with the rare free ability to demonstrate their vision of the piece, but it also denies the opportunity to bounce ideas off others. Comics are a team effort, and some of the best ideas come from artists working with their writers to maximise the story’s potential or to highlight underdeveloped ideas. As such, these solo endeavors often lie on the extremes of quality. If DC were taking a gamble, then they chose the appropriate form for it. The Legend of Wonder Woman is a digital first series released on a weekly basis with this inaugural print issue collecting the first three chapters. DC has been pioneering this format for quite some time with standout titles including Batman Beyond 2.0, Batman ’66 and Injustice.
The first third of this issue is entirely without dialogue. Instead, important plot details and character motivations are relieved to us by an omnipotent narrator as if it were a folktale. Focusing on Diana’s mother; Hippolyta, we are given a whistle-stop tour of her life and in particular, the leadership that won her the favour of the Gods, granted her immortality and denied her the opportunity to have a child. The narrator hammers home the sorrow that fills Hippolyta as a result. At one point she betrays her people for the potential of having a child sired by a demi-god. No doubt, her turmoil at being unable to conceive a child of her own is immense, but it is unfortunate that the story does not go into more depth about why having a child is so important to her. Throughout the issue, the omnipotent narrator tells us of the ” vast emptiness” that she feels in comparison to other Amazon’s who have daughters. The problem is that information is told to us as opposed to shown, the Queen of the Amazons has no voice of her own. It risks essentializing Hippolyta’s status as a woman and does not do just to the multifaceted nature of her character. This is something that would seem opposed to the spirit of the Wonder Woman mythology. The whole point is that Amazonian culture subverts stereotypical notions regarding gender, but this issue denies Hippolyta to chance to voice her grievances herself. Obviously, Hippolyta isn’t the main character of this story, and we want to move beyond the birth of Diana as quick as we can, but there It is not a death knee for the comic, but it was immediately noticeable upon my initial reading. The artwork saves this potential problematic section of the issue, by helping to convey some of those raw emotions. De Liz’s interiors assure us that the hurt is all too real even if her thought process isn’t. It’s only disappointing because the rest of the issue demonstrates that De Liz can do better, and this section detracts from what is otherwise a fine first issue. Should DC or De Liz be interested in publishing a mini-series about Hippolyta’s backstory, rest assure that I would be the first in line for it.
Following this, we are introduced to Diana as a young princess, unhappy with her place in the world. Unlike her Amazonian sisters, her mother prevents her from training in combat. Hippolyta expects Diana to fulfill her role as a diplomat, not a warrior. Naturally, Diana rejects these constraints placed on her and seeks a more active method of protecting those she loves. De Liz’s highlights the distance between mother and daughter. There’s a strained relationship, defined by almost formal bonding sessions and it’s evident that they don’t truly know each other. The artwork does a fantastic job at showing us the pain that this impersonal approach causes for both of them and the impact it has on their lives. Diana’s evolving relationship with her mother as she eventually grows into her role as Wonder Woman has the potential to serve as the heart of the series, and hopefully, the coming issues will explore this more.
The constraints placed on Diana by her role as princess are indicative of a wider trend among the Amazons. The societal make up of Themyscira is fascinating, albeit disconcerting, operating on an almost caste system whereby each citizen is assigned a pre-determined role in life by the Greek Gods. Some are warriors, some are mothers, and some are priestesses. Each has a destiny that tradition demands they fulfill in line with the will of the Gods. It’s an interest subversion of the preconceived notions that some may have about the Utopian society that Diana’s island paradise is meant to represent. Utopia is always to some degree authoritarian. Indeed, it would seem glass ceilings exist even matriarchal societies.
The mythological-fantasy basis of this story provides an interesting background for those more personnel moments, particularly between Diana and her soon-to-be mentor Alcippe. The undercurrent throughout the issue is that there is something rotten in the state of Themyscira. Diana and Alcippe are the only one’s noting a dark sickness being to infect the island and the creatures on it. There are vague environmental concerns underpinning this notion of a foreign darkness polluting the island, but it is an interesting call to action for our young heroine. It reflects the mythology that inspired it and this issue has set itself up as an epic in the original sense of the word. This is Wonder Woman invoking the Iliad.
The artwork is gorgeous; De Liz is well suited to the sword and sorcery setting of Themyscira. There is a subtlety to her rendering of characters that comes from having a single authorial mind working on the issue. As writer and artist, De Liz understands the motivations and eccentricities of the characters on a fundamental level. As a result, her renderings of them are more true to the characters than if it were drawn by another. Sometimes there is a benefit to cutting out the middle man, and the result is an accurate representation of the author’s vision for the project. Dillon’s colouring and inking is also to be commended for allowing the stunning pencil work to pop from the page. It is refreshingly one of the brightest and more vibrant comics that I’ve read in quite some time. Although not overly similar to Mark Bagley’s work, the energy and dynamism that De Liz’s displays invokes the same feelings within me. For someone who will be relatively unknown to most of the mainstream comic audience, I suspect she will be getting a lot of work after this series has completed. Simply put, I’ve a new artist crush and its Renae De Liz.
In a time where the character has struggled to maintain relevance, this is classic Wonder Woman, born from clay, and the series is all the better for it. I care about Diana and her struggles because they are those that we all face as a result of societal and parental constraints places on us throughout our lives. The references to legendary figures, battles and the Greek pantheon of Gods may confuse some readers, but it serves to show the depth and richness of the world that we are entering. This lore heavy approach is what Wonder Woman should be. Part-Greek epic, part-costume drama, The Legend of Wonder Woman is worthy of title and has the potential to serve as one of the definitive runs on the character. Let’s hope that De Liz sticks the landing.
One of my earliest memories of being taken to the cinema was to see a movie that would forever ingrain the lyrics “Go go Power Rangers” in my head. Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers is nothing short of a cultural phenomenal that along with Pokemon provided a common language for people of my generation. For those who weren’t in the loop, you know a series was popular over here back then when the national broadcaster dubbed into Irish. So when Boom! Studios announced that there bringing the original Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers back for their own ongoing series; I’ll admit that I was skeptical. The Power Rangers are characters dear to my heart, but I understand what those original series were and what they weren’t. They were cheesy, fun superhero stories that often invoked the G.I. Joe school of morality lessons. In spite of that, it was the compelling characters that allowed the series to endure and last over twenty years with multiple seasons of albeit dubious quality. Could a modern comic series bring the classic rangers into the 21st-century method of storytelling or would it be one of those properties that should have remain nostalgia? Upon hearing that Kyle Higgins (Nightwing, Batman Beyond 2.0, C.O.W.L.) and Hendry Prasetya (Power Girl, Green Lantern) were to headline the series, and all those fears went away. This would be a series that mixed the modern sensibilities of its audience with the charm of the 90s. Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers #0 sets up a sincere character-driven narrative examined through the lens of six teenagers with attitude tasked with the near-impossible burden of defending the world from an intergalactic witch. What’s not to love?
Those familiar with Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers should know the premise, but for those of you who haven’t had the pleasure, the series is about teenagers gifted with the ability to morph into brightly coloured superheroes and their never-ending battle against Japanese stock footage Rita Repulsa and her forces of evil. This series picks up shortly after the “Green with Evil” story arc which saw the introduction of Tommy Oliver; the Green Ranger. Tommy, under Rita’s control, begins as an antagonist and nearly kills the Rangers on multiple occasions. The Power Rangers eventually break Rita’s hold over Tommy, and he joins the team, swiftly becoming a fan favourite character. As the longest-serving Ranger in the franchise, he would ultimately dawn the mantles of the White, Red and Black Rangers, but that’s a story for another time.
Tommy’s acts as our point of view character for the issue and rightly so. He is new to Angel Grove and doesn’t know the other characters overly well. He is learning how to work within a team, while also struggling to find his place within the group dynamic and trying to adjust to a role that was thrust upon him. He never choose the Ranger life, but given the opportunity to help people he rises to the challenge. Easier said then done, as Tommy suffers from the fallout of Rita’s mind control. He struggles to come to terms with what he did under her control and what he could have done had the Rangers not saved him. In many ways, he is dealing with a form of PTSD as he’s about to embark on another war. A part of Rita still exists within him and it eats at his confidence. This spectre, a metaphysical manifestation of his anxiety and depression prevents him from meaningfully engaging with the rest of the Rangers. This treats the violation of Tommy’s agency with the seriousness it deserves and allows us to empathise with the character in a way we haven’t in the past. Tommy was always the coolest Ranger, and now he is relatable. It is a natural extension of what has come before and takes his story to its next logical step. Higgins takes times to engage in some poignant character moments in the midst of action-fueled Megazord battles that prove why we should care about these characters even today. It lovingly captures the spirit of the original in its fight scenes, but the character drama is where the true action is.
This issue is an example of why Kyle Higgins is one of the best writers in comics at the moment. His ability to write young characters struggling through life is unparalleled by his contemporaries. He perfectly captures what it is like to struggle with anxiety, depression and not knowing your place in the world. His characterisation of Tommy, perfectly encapsulates that nagging feeling of never knowing whether you are good enough or if you friends are on your side. The last time someone was able to channel the experiences of young people, as both teenagers and young adults, this well and turn that into engaging stories was Marv Wolfman when he worked on New Teen Titans. That’s a comparison, not lightly made, but this series is an opportunity for Higgins to prove I’m right.
The artwork by Hendry Prasetya is quite impressive. It’s worth noting that the designs of the Power Rangers do not resemble their TV counterparts completely. Indeed, much effort has been made to update their clothing styles to a more modern aesthetic. While the characters are readily identifiable, their likeness to the original actors is suspect. Furthermore, they characters seem overly bulky in comparison to their TV counterparts which would seem to be inconsistent with their martial arts fighting styles, but these are minor issues at best. He manages to turn villains and monsters that looked cheap even by 90s standards and given them a more sinister twist. Rita Repulsa and her monsters are more fearsome than before, even if there are still questionable things going on with the Queen of Darkness’ outfit. Zordon, Alpha-5 and the Command Centre are only featured briefly, but what has been revealed is quite true to the fantastical source material. The highlight of the issue was the opening page, a nightmare realm in which the other Power Rangers lie lifeless at Tommy’s feet, is both harrowing and beautifully constructed. It is an accurate representation of the inner turmoil that Tommy faces throughout the issue, the fear of what he was and what he could become again. Towards the end of the issue, we are treated to a tense action scene featuring the Megazords. It manages to convey the energy and excitement of the original Megazord battles including the clunky movement of the Zords themselves, My eyes lit up when I saw his rendering of the Dragonzord, it takes a lot of talent to properly draw mechas of this calibre and Prasetya knocks it out of the park.
The issue also features two backup stories. One is a short two-page strip featuring Bulk and Skull, the series lovable comic relief and essentially the Rosencrantz and Guildenstern of Power Rangers. It’s an entertaining romp written by Steve Orlando and illustrated by Corin Howell; it’s Bulk and Skull being themselves with their crude exterior betraying kinder souls that long to be heroes. The second; “What Time is it?!” (written by Mairghread Scott and illustrated by Daniel Bayliss) is a short-story was originally released as part of a special preview given to those who attended San-Diego Comic Con is more evocative of the style of writing featured in the show than the main story. It is a charming piece, but very much is a classic representation of what 90’s cheese was all about, so measure your expectations accordingly.
This issue being a #0 is set-up, but if this is what we can expect from the rest of the series, then readers will be in for a treat. In a world, where the gritty reboot reigns supreme, Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers #0 strikes the perfect balance between remembering what made the original a success and updating it in line with modern storytelling techniques. Don’t expect something akin to Joseph Khan’s Power/Rangers, but rather a deep story that retains the original’s charm. There may be a temptation to pass this off as a cash-in on the upcoming movie or a nostalgia-fueled money grab, but the creative team have created a comic that stands on its on independent of a source material. Indeed, it does what a good licensed work should do and enhance our enjoyment of that material. It’ll be interesting to see how much they are beholden to the established canon and how much scope there is for deviation. The series begins in earnest in March and I can’t wait to return to the world of Angel Grove because this series does for Power Rangers what Mark Waid and Fiona Staples did for Archie. Kyle Higgins and Hendry Prasetya have made it abundantly clear that after twenty years, “it’s Morphin’ Time”. Go go Power Rangers!
Ever since the last full trailer for Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice, fans have been terrified that Warner Bros. have shown too much in their trailers for the highly anticipated superhero team-up.
In the latest trailer, the character Doomsday was revealed and people feared that this was the major twist, and it had just been ruined in the marketing. Not only were people terrified at the fact that this trailer probably spoiled most of the movie, but they were concerned Zack Snyder was pulling the trigger a bit early by using a massive character like Doomsday. Fans were worried we would no longer get to see certain Superman story lines with Doomsday on the big screen, such as “The Death of Superman.”
For those worrying that Doomsday will be eliminated from the future of the DC cinematic universe after Batman V Superman or that he won’t get a proper back story or character development, rest assured! Zack Snyder is here to put those concerns to bed when he hinted at larger villain behind Doomsday and the DC Cinematic Universe.
“Well, you have Doomsday, right? He doesn’t just crawl out of the ground. He has his own mythology, right? So that has to be explored,” said Synder to The Daily Beast.
Will Darkseid be the villain in ‘Justice League?’
“To us it really made sense to give [Doomsday] to the audience now. I really wanted to make the audience a promise that… though I’m super excited and happy and fulfilled by the conflict of Batman and Superman, there’s also a bigger world to start to think about,” Synder continued.
Is Snyder talking about Brainiac?
“[The DCEU roadmap] is constantly evolving, but we’re starting to get a handle on where we’re going with the world. That’s fun because it allows us now to be driving toward a goal that we don’t have to make up as much. The rules can be the rules, and the movie can exist in a closed universe… it allows us to tie things together. If there’s a movie over here doing this, and we’re over here doing this, now we’re all on the same page,” said Synder.
“It allows for a coherent universe, which is important. I think that makes the experience a little more satisfying because we know where we’re going, so the misdirects can be stronger, and the reveals can be bigger,” said Synder.
Who do you think created Doomsday; Brainiac or Darkseid?
Batman v. Superman: Dawn Of Justice stars Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Jason Momoa, Ben Affleck, Jesse Eisenberg, Gal Gadot, Jena Malone, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Diane Lane, Ezra Miller, Jeremy Irons, Holly Hunter, Michael Shannon, and Laurence Fishburne.
The film is set to open worldwide on March 25, 2016
A report by Entertainment Weekly reveals that yet another familiar face will be seen on DC’s upcoming show Legends of Tomorrow.
EW states that antihero Jonah Hex joins the fray during season one:
“Ever since we decided that Legends would involve time travel, we were eager to do a story set in the Old West,” executive producer Marc Guggenheim says. “But if you’re going to do a story set in the DC Universe version of the Old West, you simply must include Jonah Hex in it. We’re thrilled about bringing another well known, beloved DC character to television.”
No announcement has been made regarding casting, but Hex is said to appear in the eleventh episode of this season, with the potential to return.
Hex first appeared in DC’s All Star Western circa 1972. He’s a bounty hunter from the Old West, recognized by notable scarring on the right side of his face. Josh Brolin previously portrayed the character in his 2010 film, while three separate actors did his voice in DC’s various animated series.
Director John Hillcoat’s heist drama Triple 9 with an all-star cast released a new trailer Tuesday.
A crew of dirty cops is blackmailed by the Russian mob to execute a virtually impossible heist and the only way to pull it off is to manufacture a 999, police code for “officer down.” Their plan is turned upside down when the unsuspecting rookie they set up to die foils the attack, triggering a breakneck action-packed finale tangled with double-crosses, greed and revenge.
The film stars Casey Affleck, Woody Harrelson, Kate Winslet, Aaron Paul, Norman Reedus, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Anthony Mackie, Gal Gadot, Teresa Palmer and Clifton Collins Jr.
Collins Jr. talked about what Hillcoat brings to the table as a director.
“He’s the kind of guy that likes realism. If you see a car chase that is supposed to be 110, 120 (mph), there is damn good chance that they’re really going 120 (mph). That is how Hillcoat likes to run, I really respect him and love him for it,” said Collins Jr. to Monkeys Fighting Robots.
In today’s disheartening news, it seems George Miller is done with Mad Max.
Despite the success of Mad Max: Fury Road, and what seems like an inevitable Best Director nomination to accompany a handful more nods for the film, Miller spoke to Page Six recently and said himself he wasn’t interested in returning to the Aussie Wasteland:
“I’ve shot in Australia in a field of wild flowers and flat red earth when it rained heavily forever. We had to wait 18 months and every return to the US was 27 hours. Those ‘Mad Maxes’ take forever. I won’t do those anymore.”
This is definitely not the best news for fans of Fury Road. Some news had popped about that he was working on a screenplay for the next film, Wasteland. But he has always contended the next entry would be miles down the road while he worked on something different. One can understand not wanting to return to such a troublesome and painstaking shoot like Fury Road turned out to be, but hopefully George Miller will be involved in some for or another.
Perhaps Miller can write the screenplay, executive produce, creatively consult… SOMETHING! He has said he’d be willing to pass the franchise to another filmmaker if it meant the sequel would get moving faster than he’s willing to move it. That might not be the worst idea, as long as Miller hand picks his successor.
Speaking at Wizard World New Orleans, Gotham‘s Ben McKenzie revealed that some of the show’s deceased characters may be making a return. Though not stating specifics, or confirming anything outright, the star plainly stated that almost all characters who have gone away are fair game to return.
The statement came when McKenzie and co-star Erin Richards, who plays Barbara Kean, were asked a question by Comicbook.com, “Could you bring Jerome back?”
“Not only can we, but…we might. I can’t say definitively, but yes. Yes. No one, I’ll put it this way, almost nobody that you’ve seen go away is dead. They’re all able to come back,” said McKenzie.
Jerome proved to be a polarizing character with fans. Some loved the idea of introducing the Joker early on, while others wished that Batman’s greatest nemesis would be left to mystery, maybe never appearing on the program. Others still loved the way Jerome was killed off, not making him the actual Joker, but more the genesis of the Joker ideology.
Moreover, McKenzie hints that more characters may return than just Jerome. This opens the door for the return of fan-favorite Fish Mooney as well, the original character played by Jada Pinkett Smith.
What do you think? Do you want Jerome, or other characters to return to Gotham? What about Fish Mooney, or Theo Galavan? Or do you think Jerome’s death was too well-done, and overturning it would just negate its impact? Sound off in the comments!
As incredibly diverse and influential as David Bowie was in the world of music, he was comparably as shapeshifting and compelling in his film career. This film career, as a side gig, had Bowie working with the likes of Christopher Nolan, Martin Scorsese, Julian Schnabel, David Lynch, and Jim Henson among others. Quite the part-time job.
Some of Bowie’s most iconic film performances accentuate his idiosyncrasies, seemingly written with I’m in mind. Others manage to work his acting prowess into more straightforward roles. Regardless of the tone of the picture he was in, David Bowie brought pathos and weight to his role. Be it big or small, Bowie’s presence was always felt. Here are five unforgettable Bowie film roles:
5. Nikola Tesla, The Prestige – An odd thing happened when I watched The Prestige in the theater. I sat, watching Nikola Tesla, unable to place who the actor was behind the mustache. His voice was so familiar, and yet, his face was only somewhat recognizable. It spoke to Bowie’s ability to tone down his unique appearance and handle Thomas Edison’s adversary with reserved nuance.
4. Pontius Pilate, The Last Temptation of Christ – Martin Scorsese’s controversial story of Jesus and Mary Magdalene had Bowie portray Pilate, the man who tells Jesus he must die because he is a threat to the Roman Empire. Bowie’s performance is small, but impactful, discussing magic and testing Jesus’s resolve.
3. Jack Celliers, Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence – Having Bowie portray a British soldier in the thick of World War II is unconventional to say the least. But Bowie, as a soldier butting heads with Japanese soldiers in a prison camp, is a sharp examination of honor and loyalty and devotion in the face of surrender. Bowie steals the show from a wonderful cast.
https://youtu.be/MsQNmHcT3Rk
2. Jareth the Goblin King, Labyrinth – Easily Bowie’s most commercially successful film was also one that felt made for him. Henson had considered Sting in the role before his kids convinced him Bowie was perfect for the role. Sometimes your kids know better. The glam rock opera verve of Labyrinth belongs to Bowie, and no other could have filled those shoes.
1. Thomas Jerome Newton, The Man Who Fell to Earth – David Bowie’s first feature role, playing an androgynous alien lifeform searching for water for his dying planet, is another role seemingly made for Bowie’s offbeat personality and angular figure. His frame enhances the alien Newton, and his curious mannerisms are absolute perfection. Bowie’s performance here, Ziggy Stardust incarnate, announced his arrival in cinema with authority.
