When it comes to Sherlock, we can always expect greatness. There was a huge sense of hype around the “Christmas Special”, which ended up not being aired on Christmas and also not centered around the holiday. But it was finally released and of course, it didn’t disappoint in the slightest.
I’d say that regular fans of the show have probably enjoyed this special Sherlock episode – directed by Douglas Mackinnon – a lot more than others, not only because they’ve been in love with the show for years and years, but also because everything about it was made to appeal to them, clearly. There is no doubt in my mind that the creators and writers of Sherlock, Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss, are two of the greatest, most clever minds in the business. They seem to be very aware of what fans wish for the show to get into, and they always know how to use it to their advantage. The fact that from the beginning it’s made very apparent how much of a feminist episode this is attests to that, as a lot of the show’s vocal audience is female.
The Abominable Bride sets the tone very quickly, transporting us to some kind of alternate universe where John Watson and Sherlock Holmes meet in the 1890s. A spooky mystery falls in the hands of our most beloved (although not very charming) consulting detective: the case of a woman stricken by a desire for vengeance.
This is the most canon the creators have dared to be on Sherlock and it ties in perfectly with the rest of the seasons, taking from previous dialogue and even specific shots, which will be explicitly reminiscent of some of the best stories. Also the appearance of (and references to) old characters surely made fans giddy and excited for an upcoming season.
Needless to say, all the performances from the pros Benedict Cumberbatch, Martin Freeman and Mark Gatiss, as well as recurring actors Louise Brealey, Amanda Abbington, Una Stubbs and Rupert Graves, are as excellent as we’re used to seeing. By now they’re all very much comfortable with their roles, enjoying it, and it shows. One unexpected surprise puts the cherry on top.
Another aspect that stood out when the show first started was how well the modern world was incorporated into a Sherlock Holmes world, with text messages, emails, clues and thoughts displayed and highlighted on the screen. In The Abominable Bride‘s Victorian universe there are no cell phones or computers, but the same style of detail is introduced in the form of newspaper clippings and other more comedic ways.
Overall, the Sherlock Special is a brilliant exercise of coherency while changing up and refreshing a much loved show. It maintains its spirit and style, throwing it back 100+ years.
Olivia Munn took to Instagram last night and counted down the top five memories from the past year. One of her favorite memories was landing her mutant role in Bryan Singer’s upcoming X-Men film.
“To say hello to 2016, I’m gonna say GOODBYE TO 2015 with my Top 5 Favorite Memories of 2015 (that I can think of),” Munn posted on her Instagram. “#4: Getting to play Psylocke in X-Men: Apocalypse. She’s a telekinetic telepath who chooses to kill with a sword because she wants to do it up close and intimate and killing from afar just seems too easy and no fun.”
She added this picture as well.
Following the critically acclaimed global smash hit X-Men: Days of Future Past, director Bryan Singer returns with X-Men: Apocalypse. Since the dawn of civilization, he was worshipped as a god. Apocalypse, the first and most powerful mutant from Marvel’s X-Men universe, amassed the powers of many other mutants, becoming immortal and invincible. Upon awakening after thousands of years, he is disillusioned with the world as he finds it and recruits a team of powerful mutants, including a disheartened Magneto (Michael Fassbender), to cleanse mankind and create a new world order, over which he will reign. As the fate of the Earth hangs in the balance, Raven (Jennifer Lawrence) with the help of Professor X (James McAvoy) must lead a team of young X-Men to stop their greatest nemesis and save mankind from complete destruction.
The Force Awakens has been out for about two weeks now, and since then, there have been a myriad of reactions to the film. It has largely met with universal praise and record setting box office numbers, but it seems to be starting another conversation. A conversation about how the movie sausage gets made. Carrie Fisher and George Lucas have, in their own way, kickstarted this conversation.
Recently Carrie Fisher did an interview with Good Housekeeping U.K. in which she revealed that she was asked to lose 35 pounds for her role reprising Princess General Leia in The Force Awakens. Fisher has always been candid and didn’t mince words about how Hollywood judges female performers on appearance and little else, and how that seems to have not changed much in 36 years since the release of the original Star Wars. This bought about what has grown to be the usual reaction throughout social media when a woman in any field dares speak against established norms. A New York Post Op Ed columnist even sought to take her to task, stating that if she didn’t want to be judged on her looks, she should quit acting, and taking the ludicrous point further that she only had success later on in her career, as a writer, because of her looks. Mrs. Fisher has handled all of this as smartly as one can, and who are we, as fans, to say she hasn’t aged well, or should have looked better for her role in The Force Awakens?
General Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher) Photo: Lucasfilm/Disney
Earlier this week, George Lucas sat down with Charlie Rose to talk about the Star Wars franchise, his ideas for a new trilogy, and his decision to sell Lucasfilm to Disney. Lucas called the films ‘his kids’ and stated he sold them to ‘white slavers’. A bit of hyperbole on George’s part, but it cast a bit of a shadow in which detractors of the new film carried that banner and those who favored the film lambasted Lucas for his choice of words. Now, this was Lucas’ life for 35+ years, but he did walk away, and while he could have just stated he didn’t like the direction of the new films, he chose to invoke some pretty specific imagery to do so.
Lucas would retract those comments a day later and congratulate director J.J. Abrams and his longtime producing partner and current head of Lucasfilm Kathleen Kennedy on the success of the newest entry in the franchise.
Two longtime celebrities and two vastly different reactions to views they expressed. A cursory look at social media when Carrie Fisher’s interview made the rounds show that we have a long way to go when it comes to how we view women in Hollywood and entertainment in general. George Lucas had a myriad of defenders when his opinions were made public, but he also faced a significant amount of blowback because of the way he worded his feelings.
We, as fans, have a responsibility to raise the level of discourse when things like this happen. Carrie Fisher’s appearance in The Force Awakens should be at the bottom of the list of priorities, especially considering that anyone over 50 would be hard pressed to get into what Hollywood considers ‘in shape’. Does George Lucas have a right to dislike the new films, he most certainly does, but it is problematic when he decides to invoke ‘white slavery’ when talking about films he made. If we demand excellence in these films, we should be deserving of them and have the courage to call out a friend or a fellow fan when something they have to say just isn’t right.
Agree? Disagree? Think I’m fat? Let me know in the comments or on Twitter @MatPDouglas
No one will argue that Disney Chairman and CEO Bob Iger has brought the most change to the company. During his tenure as Mickey’s boss, the company has acquired Pixar, Marvel, and of course Lucasfilm. In doing so he’s turned Disney into one of the most powerful movie companies in the world. Iger sat down with Bloomberg for a half-hour conversation about mostly Star Wars. However, during the course of the conversation (which centered on the direction of the studio), there’s one little piece of information that stood out.
“With George Lucas’s Star Wars – and Indiana Jones, by the way, which will be coming, we have more great stories,” Iger said.
This is huge news as it has been rumored that the new Indiana Jones film would be slated for a 2018 release date.Steven Spielberg and Harrison Ford have both been very open to the idea of returning to the franchise. Even Lucasfilm’s president Kathleen Kennedy has dropped hints that Indiana Jones‘s whip will crack again. What do you guys think about this news? Do you think that Harrison Ford should return to the role as Indiana Jones or should they recast the role?
After racking a handful of Emmy nominations and just achieving outright comedic brilliance in its first season, fans are counting down the days till season two of the Unbreakable Kimmie Schmidt. The series was created by Tina Fey and stars Ellie Kemper and first-time Emmy Nominee Titus Burgess. Right now the show is currently shooting its second season, and Netflix is giving us tidbits about what we can expect when the comedy comes back and also releasing some new stills from the second season.
It seems as if in season two, we will have our fair share of guest stars. Pitch Perfect star Anna Camp is seen in one of the photos but we don’t know much about her character just yet. Call it a hunch but she could be playing Jane Krakowski’s sister. Zosia Mamet from Girls is also going to guest star in season two as well. However, the guest star that we are all excited to see back is the show’s creator Tina Fey. Tina Fey guest starred last year in a role that can only be described as a twisted version of Marcia Clark and she killed it. This year it seems like she just might be some drunken lady (that’s just judging by the photos). Tina Fey was asked recently at a TCA panel Q and A about whether or not Kimmie is done with the bunker in the new season and she had this to say
“Kimmy (Ellie Kemper) would love to believe that it’s entirely behind her because of the trial, but it’s not.”
The new season of the Unbreakable Kimmie Schmidt is coming to Netflix in 2016.
Now that the year has come to a close, we can look back at the best scenes we had this year. Due to various circumstances, there’s a lot of movies that I have yet to watch, so I’m sure this is a list that I’ll keep updating as I watch more films made this year. Be warned that there are possible spoilers for the following films: American Ultra, Spectre, Jurassic World, It Follows, Ex-Machina, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part Two, Paper Towns, The Peanuts Movie, Kingsman: The Secret Service, Me and Earl and the Dying Girl,The Walk, Bridge of Spies, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Inside Out and Mad Max: Fury Road
15. American Ultra – The supermarket fight.
The action scenes were an underrated aspect of this movie. Many were imaginatively choreographed, shot and edited. Making a creative use of space, reflection, props and lighting that leaves one hoping Nima Nourizadeh gets to do more action in the future. Credit also goes to screenwriter Max Landis for coming up with some very creative action scenes. This climactic fight is the highlight for everyone.
Featuring an astonishing “oner” and mixing danger and humor, this sequence belongs in the Best Bond Openings Hall of Fame. Also credit must be given to them for showing that Mexico City or Mexico itself isn’t all old, dirty buildings. Mendes and his crew give great use to this location.
Even if you saw it coming, you can’t deny you wanted it to happen. It’s the most fun moment of the film, perfectly balancing how much we care for the dinosaurs and for the humans in the situation as well. Trevorrow shoots the scene in such a way that he lets it play out before our eyes. You manage to believe it all and it gets you cheering.
A perfectly creepy sequence. We’re right in Jay’s shoes as she becomes aware that she’s in a situation far more sinister and unexplainable than she could have expected. Director David Robert Mitchell shoots it in such a way that amplifies the sense of dread. Just like Jay we can’t look away from the situation.
Unexpected, funny, even creepy. It offers the audience an opportunity to relax in a film with a rather somber tone. It’s a perfect highlight of everyone who worked in the film, behind and in front of the camera.
10. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2 – The execution.
It’s always good to see characters we hate get what they deserve. This is the principle on which the scene is based on, but what I most loved about it was how it was a turn for Katniss. She’s tired of violence, but once she sees that it could resurface under new President Alma Coin, that’s her only choice of action. The lesser of evils.
8. The Peanuts Movie – Anything with the Red Baron.
This is where the choice of 3D animation felt most justified and wonderfully used. These were some of the best moments in the original Peanuts cartoons and they’re also the best in this movie. Even when they’re just purely fantasy sequences, we always care enough to look forward to seeing Snoopy battle against the Red Baron again.
7. Kingsman: The Secret Service – The Church Scene.
In a film filled with great sequences and scenes, this is probably its most memorable for its brutality and cinematography. It’s a very scary moment in the film, where Matthew Vaughn rises to the occasion; he monumentally raising the film’s stakes without losing a sense of dark humor. Big kudos to Colin Firth for exceeding his level of badassery here, and shame on the censors in countries where they decided to mutilate this scene to appease them.
Any moment in which they’re brought up, the movie lights up considerably. Anyone who loves movies and catches the references surely loved these way-too-brief scenes.
This is what the movie kept leading into, so you knew it was going to happen but both characters and filmmakers outdid themselves in making it awe-inspiring and frightening at the same time. Even watched on 2D, the sequence is absolutely dizzying.
Spielberg puts us right in the pilot’s seat. He perfectly communicates the scene using nothing but visuals to paint the character and stakes. What’s worse is that we know that even if the pilot makes it out alive, he’s still screwed. It’s a great sequence and one of the movie’s best turns. A big shout-out to the Coen Brothers and Matt Charman for writing such a great moment.
3. Star Wars: The Force Awakens – The bridge scene.
A tender moment that becomes quickly horrifying, this is probably the best scene in a film filled with great scenes. Everyone involved created a moment that perfectly mixes the drama between Han Solo and Kylo Ren, using the setting and visuals to match the state of the characters’ minds as the First Order catches up to them.
It’s a moment that brings the movie’s powerful message that not all can be joy, but that sad moments can become our greatest victories. Character,Props, blocking, and production design form a perfect scene.
In a movie packed with great action set-pieces and imaginative visuals, this was tough to pick but it’s here where the action has the most perfect sense of rising action and a fantastic use of color that burns the images in your head.
George Lucas has released a statement regarding his comments about Star Wars and Disney made during a taped interview with Charlie Rose that aired December 25th. Here it is in full:
“I want to clarify my interview on the Charlie Rose Show. It was for the Kennedy Center Honors and conducted prior to the premiere of the film. I misspoke and used a very inappropriate analogy and for that I apologize.
I have been working with Disney for 40 years and chose them as the custodians of Star Wars because of my great respect for the company and Bob Iger’s leadership. Disney is doing an incredible job of taking care of and expanding the franchise. I rarely go out with statements to clarify my feelings but I feel it is important to make it clear that I am thrilled that Disney has the franchise and is moving it in such exciting directions in film, television and the parks. Most of all I’m blown away with the record-breaking blockbuster success of the new movie and am very proud of JJ and Kathy.”
Do you think that this is Mr. Lucas coming to his senses or that he was told to make a statement apologizing for his comments?
Entertainment Weekly and Empire have provided us with yet another exclusive. Today, we were treated to two new stills (one from each magazine) from the highly anticipated Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.
““Newt is a magizoologist who’s just completed a global journey to find and document magical creatures for a book he plans on writing,” Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts producer David Heyman tells Empire. “His case is important because it contains some of the creatures he’s been researching. It may be small, but there’s a whole world within.”
Beasts stars Oscar winner Eddie Redmayne (The Theory of Everything) as world-famous magizoologist Newt Scamander, who embarks on an adventure in 1926 New York.Coming along for the ride are Katherine Waterston (Steve Jobs), Colin Farrell (True Detective) and Samantha Morton (Minority Report).Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them opens in 1926 as Newt Scamander has just completed a global journey to find and document an array of extraordinary magical creatures. Newt stops in New York for a brief stopover, he might have come and gone without a problem if were not for a No-Maj (American for Muggle) named Jacob, a lost magical case, and the escape of some of Newt’s fantastic beasts. Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them will hit theaters in November of 2016.
Marvel has been slaying it with their Star Wars comics since Star Wars #1 came out almost a year ago. There might have been some weak links here and there, but not a single title has been flat out bad. They’ve managed to capture the essence of Star Wars, putting out books that range from action/adventure stories, to more deeply personal stories, to space heist stories. Now, Marvel has placed rock-star writer Charles Soule (fresh off that space heist story, Lando) on the latest title, Obi-Wan & Anakin.
Any book with a Skottie Young variant cover is a win.
Obi-Wan & Anakin takes place in the dark time between The Phantom Menace and Attack of the Clones, a period not many authors have ventured into. Anakin has been training for several years under Obi-Wan and at the Jedi Temple on Coruscant. This particular story jumps right into the action, as the two crash land on a strange planet in response to a distress call. After some brief dialogue, it then flashes back to the recent past at the Temple, as the brass observe Anakin train. In terms of major plot points, there’s not much that can be said without spoiling the fun. Just know that this first issue scratches the surface on what is going to be a great story.
This isn’t an action tale; it’s a character study. And when you want a story about developing characters, and building relationships, you hire Charles Soule to write it. In just one issue, Soule has already established exactly who these individuals are internally, and how they view one another. Anakin is a brash kid, on his way to being the brash teen from Episode II, and we get to see the genesis of his distaste for the Jedi status quo. Obi-Wan is not yet a Master, but a Jedi Knight, and Soule quickly establishes him as the perfect foil for his padawan. He also has his issues with the Jedi Order, but where Anakin is willing to argue rules, Obi-Wan takes more of a “we must do what we can within the rules” approach. Since this is ultimately a miniseries about the relationship between a teacher and his student, it will be interesting to see what the two learn from one another by the end.
Now, while the book does a great job of expanding upon already existing characters and relationships, the real fun is when it goes beyond that. There is a moment in this story that is extremely brief, but very much worth mentioning. Anakin is training, and he has a slight confrontation with a pair of padawans in his cohort. After reading it, it struck me that the Star Wars canon has never seen a young Skywalker interacting with other students. It’s fascinating to see how they feel about training with the supposed “Chosen One,” and how he reacts in turn. It’s these little moments that build on this universe and make it such an enjoyable and engaging experience for the fans.
Marco Checchetto does a tremendous job on art, and manages to create two very different vibes for the different points in the timeline. The field mission yields stunning landscapes, and some epic action. On the flip side, the training sessions are very intimate, focusing on close ups to show the emotion in characters’ faces. Without words, Checchetto conveys what Star Wars is supposed to be: a space adventure that balances being grand in scale, yet personal in tone.
This miniseries is going to be a fun ride, and issue one is absolutely worth your $3.99 this week. Yes, it’s a prequel story. But Soule is finally doing what the prequel movies failed to do: develop the characters and their relationships. The prequel trilogy had no chemistry between the characters, and gave fans no reason to get invested in their fates (except for Obi-Wan; Ewan McGregor rules). Plus, The Phantom Menace played such an especially small role in the grand scheme of the saga, that it could honestly be removed without missing a beat. Obi-Wan & Anakin is shaping up to be the Episode I that Star Wars fans deserve.
On a quick side note, fans have also been pushing for an Obi-Wan solo series to tell his story between Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope. I’ve made no secret of who I think Marvel should put on it, and this first issue of Obi-Wan & Anakin confirms it.
A lot has happened in 2015 which made an impact on film and television. Cinematic universes are being established apart from Marvel and DC properties, with the success of Jurassic World and later on Star Wars, we start to see franchises from past generations come back, new stars rise up and others come back… Here are some of the best moments and highlights of the year:
VIOLA DAVIS WINS THE EMMY!
She was the first African-American to win an Emmy for best actress in a drama for her lead role in Shonda Rhimes’ How to Get Away with Murder and she made an emotional speech in favor of diversity in Hollywood.
PATRICIA ARQUETTE WINS THE OSCAR!
Boyhood got to the Oscars early this year with a lot of strong nominations but the only one who brought her award home was Patricia Arquette for her supporting role in Richard Linklater’s acclaimed film. She also had a great speech prepared for the big moment advocating for wage equality, which got even Meryl Streep cheering for it.
Fellow actresses like Jennifer Lawrence and Jessica Chastain have been fighting against the wage gap between men and women in Hollywood this year as well.
THE AMY SCHUMER PHENOMENON
She came out of nowhere for a lot of people. Who’s Amy Schumer? She’s a fearless comedian, actress and Jennifer Lawrence’s new best friend. Amy wrote and starred in a new Judd Apatow movie, Trainwreck, and landed a Golden Globe nomination for it. She has her own TV show, Inside Amy Schumer, which won two Emmys in 2015 as well.
#ALLMYMOVIES
Shia Labeouf is widely known for being one of the most controversial actors in Hollywood, and for the past few years he’s been involved in several performance art projects, the latest one being #AllMyMovies. You can read more about it here. My favorite part was seeing how much fun he was having during some of his films, especially The Even Stevens Movie.
Shia and the audience enjoying the ending of the EVEN STEVENS movie is actually a pretty special thing to watch. pic.twitter.com/sSz7OuOIsg
After 125 episodes, 7 seasons and 8 years of Parks and Recreation, NBC aired the final episode of the show on February. It will be missed, but the amazing cast are already doing bigger things on the big screen, mainly Chris Pratt. Aziz Ansari created a new show on Netflix (Master of None), which has gained a lot of attraction this year, and Adam Scott starred in the successful Krampus.
https://youtu.be/TAUbuKCOFKo
STAR WARS IS BACK!
The resurgence of past generation franchises went strong this year with both the hype around Star Wars: The Force Awakensand its massive success. While we’ve seen the comeback of Star Trek and Jurassic World before, this was the biggest commercial release of the year.
From the Chewie and Han Solo reunion to Carrie Fisher’s press tour, and everything in between (let’s not forget the epic PTX tribute), 2015 will be remembered for this great franchise.
SUPERHERO POWER
2015 has probably been the most prolific year for superhero films and TV shows. DC has stepped up their game developing their superhero titles for the next few years. They shot Batman V Superman and Suicide Squad, prepared to collect Arrow’s and The Flash’s continued success on The CW by creating a spin-off (Legends of Tomorrow), and debuted Supergirl.
From the other side, Marvel was the object of controversies, starting with Avengers: Age of Ultron and ending with a Fantastic Four fiasco of massive proportions. On the TV front, however, while Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. doesn’t seem to be keeping much popularity and Agent Carter had a decent reception, the studio’s partnership with Netflix has let them flourish in 2015 with two incredible series: Daredevil and Jessica Jones, both with side-shows attached, ready to be released in 2016. Also this year, Marvel Studios managed to snag a Spidey cameo with new blood, who we’ll see in the upcoming Captain America: Civil War.
Get ready for 2016, because it will be even bigger for superhero franchises.
What other moments deserve to be remembered from 2015?
