Wrestling Wish List For 2016

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December 29, 2015

With Christmas now in the rearview mirror, I feel safe to share with you all what I’ve asked Santa for, and because it’s me it was all, of course, Wrestling related. But instead of a Sheamus 4:15 t-shirt or John Cena gravy boat I’ve actually asked for what I want to see happen in 2016. To increase my chances I’ve actually been a bit realistic, so Santa doesn’t have to work so hard with the politics.

Sami Zayn Vs Kevin Owens At Wrestlemania

I think this one is one of the most likely to happen now that Sami Zayn has returned. While the obvious barrier is that Kevin Owens is now on the main roster while Zayn has remained on NXT, this would be the perfect debut feud for Zayn’s step up to the big time. While their NXT matches were very good, I know they can take it to the next level because of their work together in ROH when they had multiple big matches when Zayn was El Generico, but that’s not the prime reason I want this to happen at Wrestlemania.

It’s because it’s an opportunity to finish the story of Owens crippling Zayn, taking his NXT Championship and causing the injury that sidelined him until now. It would require storyline from NXT to be directly incorporated into the main show, something the WWE doesn’t seem too keen on but surely, in this case, it’s what’s best for business. Besides it gives the WWE an opportunity to resolve a long-term story, something nearly forgotten in today’s landscape, as by Mania it will be just over a year since Owens did the damage at Takeover. Above all, it’s a Wrestlemania moment-in-waiting, with the heroic face finally getting his revenge on the obvious heel and this one I really want to see.

Undertaker To Retire

With each year that passes it feels like the chances of The Undertaker retiring with his incredible legacy and aura intact diminish that much more, so I ask for this with everyone’s best interests at heart. Knowing the matches that came afterwards and the resonance of the moment, I think Undertaker’s best moment to step down would have been Wrestlemania XXVII, not to have it as a retirement match but still have the streak extend to 20-0 and bill it as the end of an era. The match was the last really great one in a sequence that Taker had been having with Shawn Michael’s and Triple H and would have capped everything, as well as you, could.

What we’ve had instead is matches ranging from the good (Lesnar at Hell in a Cell) to the outright bad (Lesnar, Wyatt at Mania), which for the run he was on for quite a few years, and the incredible legacy of the man is a shame. Perhaps worse than the quality of the matches is that particularly before his comeback at this year’s Summerslam he was looking more than mortal, to the extend more than a few were concerned for his well-being. With his health looking markedly better hopefully, this year he can go out on a high, with a high-quality match against Daniel Bryan or a big event match against John Cena at a major event. I also want to see him lose, something I know it felt he did a lot of against Lesnar but after the damage done to the Wyatt Family he needs to put over someone who needs the kind of rub The Undertaker can still provide. Remember Taker, it’s because I love you.

More Wrestlekingdom

I ask for this not so much in reference to the event itself but to what was done with New Japan Pro Wrestling’s Wrestlekingdom 9 this past year. Through a tie-up with Jeff Jarrett and his fledgling Global Force Wrestling promotion, Wrestlekingdom 9 was available direct on PPV in the USA and across the world online, critically it also had commentary in English for these outlets provided by a top tier team of Jim Ross and Matt Striker. This was the first time a major New Japan event had been available like this, and I want more, Wrestlekingdom 9 featured some of the best talents in the world putting on some of the best matches in the world with each other so why wouldn’t I? I’d watch more New Japan, but a block to that is having trouble connecting with anything beyond the matches themselves which isn’t always enough. Having English commentary went a long way to solving this problem as much as you can when everything original is in Japanese.

More presentations like this could also open up other promotions to the rest of the world, AAA and CMLL in Mexico for example. The only caveat I have on this is if someone is going to do this then do it right, AAA tried it but the production values and distribution were so poor that if it was your first exposure to the product, you were unlikely to go back.

But the opportunity to see other major shows from the other biggest promotions in the world is one I definitely want more of.

NXT booking for the main women

Several of my favourite matches this year have been women’s matches in NXT, likewise, several of my favourite performers this year were women in NXT. These same women who were involved in all of those matches, at least partially, are now on the main roster in WWE. And I just don’t care. Well actually that’s not strictly true, I do care but only as far as hoping Becky Lynch has the chance to put on more match of the year contenders, that Charlotte can get to play the same character for more than a month at a time and that Sasha Banks can be allowed to go on to be one of the biggest stars in the industry like she should. So what’s changed?

No matter how many times the words “Divas Revolution” are said, it doesn’t change things by itself. Despite putting much of the on-air talent responsible for the NXT women’s division onto the main roster and giving them more air time it’s still resulting in the same poor, nonsensical product that’s been produced for years, and this is a result of how it’s being handled creatively with characters constantly changing, flipping non-stop between face and heel, with little reason behind anything. Not that the matches have been stellar so far but with a lack of any reason to care it doesn’t matter.

So this year I want stability and reason to be applied to women’s wrestling on the main roster. If Ronda Rousey can be the biggest star in MMA and they can do it in NXT, it can surely happen on the main roster.

A Chance For Cesaro

There are multiple wrestlers in WWE who need a decent chance but I’m of the opinion Cesaro is top of that list. While others have had the occasional but maybe too brief main event program or decent program with a main guy, Cesaro hasn’t, at all. Despite crafting an entertaining tag team with Tyson Kidd out of nothing and putting on awesome matches with John Cena among others, Cesaro just can’t seem to catch a break. Whether it was Vince McMahon’s infamous statement that he can’t connect with the audience or a less than great run with Paul Heyman as his manager, Cesaro has had his level set. He’s also now been a victim of bad luck as he’s suffered a long term injury just when he may have had a chance there.

So what I want this year is when Cesaro returns, to see him in a true feud with someone. My pick would be Brock Lesnar, as aside from what would be incredible matches, there’s history to draw on there. But being realistic, Dean Ambrose, Roman Reigns, Kevin Owens, John Cena, Rusev or Daniel Bryan would all fit the bill. Surely one of them is free for a couple of months.

A Job For JR

To provide a quick history lesson Jim Ross began his career in professional wrestling in 1974, has been a referee, announcer, booker, on-air talent and various backstage roles. He’s generally considered the greatest play-by-play announcer in the history of the sport and had this role as well as operating as vice-president of talent relations for the then-WWF during the company’s most successful period ever. Basically, he hired much of the on-air talent that made the WWF successful during the Attitude era then help tell the stories through his announcing role. Yet, not one promotion can find a role for him.

Now I appreciate the man is semi-retired and would only take certain roles, but even a part-time announcing gig or consultant would surely benefit all concerned. Imagine the likes of ROH or PWG getting someone with the experience and knowledge of JR to turn to when they needed to. How about JR working with their announce teams? Or as an announcer? And before this gets dismissed as fantasy JR has said via Twitter he’d be up for calling an ROH show alongside their current announce team. His work for GWF calling Wrestlekingdom 9 was as good as it always has been but left us all wanting more. If there really is no opportunity or desire for him in wrestling anymore then fine, in 2014, he called a boxing event and an MMA PPV in 2014. But if I never get to hear another thing labelled a Slobberknocker again, it really will be a tragedy for the wrestling industry.

Hopefully, this all comes true for 2016 as I don’t think I’m being selfish or ridiculous at all. But if I am, as ever please let me know in the comments or twitter @themarcuswood

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Mads Mikkelsen Plays the Villain in ‘Doctor Strange’

By

Elisabeth S. Contreras

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December 29, 2015

Danish actor Mads Mikkelsen, known for his role of Dr. Hannibal Lecter in the NBC show Hannibal, has been revealed as the main villain in Marvel’s upcoming Doctor Strange. In Entertainment Weekly‘s New Look issue, executive producer Stephen Broussard breaks the news and Kevin Feige, President of Marvel Studios, confirms it:

“Mads’ character is a sorcerer who breaks off into his own sect. [He] believes that the Ancient One is just protecting her own power base and that the world may be better off if we were to allow some of these other things through.”

As secretive as Marvel execs tend to be, this is quite a revelation in and on itself, but they don’t give out any character names for free. In fact, there are still several characters who remain a mystery next to the list of stars who will appear in this movie.

What’s funny is that this is the second “Mikkelsen villain” Benedict Cumberbatch has had to deal with, since Mads brother, Lars Mikkelsen, played blackmailer Charles Magnussen in Sherlock‘s latest season.

Will we find out who exactly is Mikkelsen playing before Doctor Strange is released in November 4? It’s time now for speculation. Who do you think is the villain in the film?

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8 Great Films That Deserve A Proper DVD / Blu-Ray Release

By

Oscar Moreno

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December 29, 2015

You can say that all you need is a Region-free DVD or Blu-Ray player, but sometimes you just don’t want to deal with the hassle of importing movies, plus the extra costs. And sometimes, you really do need quality English subtitles that these releases don’t have. So, here’s to hoping that these films find a way to the United States soon because they do deserve some more eyes on them.

Shiki-Jitsu (Ritual)

Directed by Neon Genesis Evangelion’s Hideaki Anno, this is his second foray into live-action. It tells the story of a depressed, anti-social filmmaker who meets a strange young woman who has a ritual of claiming that every day is her birthday. They both attempt to connect to each other, but they are separated by their own anxieties and mysteries. It’s a beautiful, haunting film that sadly has not seen any release of any kind in the USA. Worse yet, in its origin country of Japan, the DVD is now out of print. Given that Hideaki Anno has his niche among anime fans and Japanophiles in the USA, maybe it’s time to give this movie a proper release, especially on Blu-Ray. Perhaps his upcoming Godzilla: Resurgence movie will inspire someone to do so. And while we’re at it, could they also please release the soundtrack? The beautiful score by Takashi Kako deserves its own album.

Speaking of Hideaki Anno, his first live-action film, the shocking and moving Love and Pop has also gone out of print.

Strumpet

Made as part of a deal with the BBC that had Danny Boyle make two movies on digital format for them, Strumpet is about a homeless angry poet who teams up with a young woman to create a music duo, as they’re represented by a bigshot-wannabe agent who wishes to take them to the Top of the Pops and beyond. This charming, surprisingly poignant and energetic film features an electric performance by Christopher Eccleston, and Danny Boyle’s powerful, gritty direction. Unfortunately, it’s not been released in the States at all. The strange part is that the other film of the BBC deal, Vacuuming Completely Nude in Paradise does have a DVD release. Why release Vacuuming and not Strumpet? Who knows. Regardless, it’s a decision that has left one of Boyle’s most interesting movies unwatched by many.

If you have the means, you can get a UK copy of Strumpet here.

If you wish for an appetizer, feel free to get Vacuuming Completely Nude in Paradise right here.

Melody

A sweet and funny, romantic comedy about two kids who decide to marry, this movie was long absent from the DVD format in the States. It was made available in an NTSC all-region release. Although this is one way to check it out without much hassle, the release is in Pan and Scan, and the video quality isn’t anything to write home about.

If none of that matters to you, you can get the low-quality NTSC release of Melody here.

Macario

Based on the novella by B. Traven, Macario shows what happens when a peasant makes a deal with Death to give him miraculous powers under the condition that Death chooses who lives or dies. Captivating, funny and haunting, it is well-deserving of the classic title. Unfortunately, the DVD offered in NTSC doesn’t have any English subtitles or any subtitles of any kind. An odd choice for a multi-region DVD. On top of that, the picture quality doesn’t do justice to Gabriel Figueroa’s gorgeous cinematography.

La Noche de los Lápices

A frightening true story about an Argentinian student protest gone wrong, La Noche de los Lápices, unfortunately, hasn’t seen made available for the US. For now, it remains one of those movies that people catch thanks to borrowing copies or catching on TV.

After Life

In the world of this movie, once you die, you’re allowed to pick one memory to take with you to the rest of your after-life. Once you’ve made a choice, officials in the after-life work to recreate the memory and film it like a movie. This is a fantastic, bittersweet and thought-provoking comedy that would sit well with fans of Charlie Kaufman. The film used to be readily available on DVD, but now it has gone out of print and used copies are available for more than 90 dollars.

The Day of the Beast

A stylish and fun take on the Apocalypse, Alex de la Iglesia’s Day of the Beast hasn’t fallen under consideration for a more serious, proper DVD release that includes English subtitles.

Bleeder

Perhaps Nicolas Winding Refn’s most underrated film. More of a relationship drama in contrast to Refn’s other work, it plays like a love letter to movies, as well as a cautionary tale of obsession and love gone sour. Given that lead Mads Mikkelsen and Refn himself have gone on to gain international success, it is high time for this movie to get a proper home video release in the States.

If you have the means, you can get the UK DVD here.

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‘Wonder Woman’ Footage Leaked

By

Dewey Singleton - Film Critic

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December 28, 2015

Set photos from Wonder Woman continue to pour onto the internet since production started in late November. Instagram user blazzinsaddles last week posted some video footage of a scene from the film.

Part II – can you guess who the two main protagonists are? #lightscameraaction #filmset #filmshoot #movie #moviemaking #birdseyeview #worldwarone #greatwar #horses #horseandcart #film

A post shared by Felix Lowe (@blazinsaddles) on Dec 21, 2015 at 7:01am PST

And … Action! #filmset #film #filmshoot #lightscameraaction #worldwarone #movie #moviemaking

A post shared by Felix Lowe (@blazinsaddles) on Dec 21, 2015 at 3:26am PST

World War One film shoot captured from above #film #movie #makingmovies #lightscameraaction #filmset #filmshoot #LincolnsInn #worldwarone #greatwar

A post shared by Felix Lowe (@blazinsaddles) on Dec 21, 2015 at 12:38am PST

If you look at one of the videos you can briefly see Pine dressed as Steve Trevor, United States Air Force Pilot and Gal Gadot as Diana Prince (Wonder Woman’s alter ego). One thing that was noticeable in the shot was Pine’s character seems to escort a robed Amazonian through the market square, perhaps to conceal her true identity.

Filming will continue to take place on location in the UK, France and Italy.

Wonder Woman is directed by Patty Jenkins from Jason Fuchs screenplay. The film stars Gal Gadot as Diane Prince/Wonder Woman, Chris Pine as Captain Steve Trevor, Robin Wright, Danny Huston, David Thewlis, Ewen Bremner, Saïd Taghmaoui, Elena Anaya, and Lucy Davis.

Set to open in 2017, the film is based on characters created by William Moulton Marston, appearing in comic books published by DC Entertainment.

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NSFW ‘Deadpool’ PSA For Empire Magazine

By

Matthew Sardo

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December 28, 2015

Hide the woman and child, as the Deadpool promotion is in full swing! The latest is a Deadpool infomercial for February’s issue of Empire.

Based upon Marvel Comics’ most unconventional anti-hero, DEADPOOL tells the origin story of former Special Forces operative turned mercenary Wade Wilson, who after being subjected to a rogue experiment that leaves him with accelerated healing powers, adopts the alter ego Deadpool. Armed with his new abilities and a dark, twisted sense of humor, Deadpool hunts down the man who nearly destroyed his life.

Deadpool is directed by Tim Miller, starring Ryan Reynolds, Morena Baccarin, T.J. Miller, Gina Carano, Ed Skrein, and Brianna Hildebrand.

Deadpool will be in theater on February 12, 2016.

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Open Casting Call For ‘Star Wars: Episode VIII’ HOAX

By

Dewey Singleton - Film Critic

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December 28, 2015

Production for Star Wars: Episode VIII is quickly approaching, and the casting call hoax has gone out.

Protip: that 'movie casting call' site continues to be baloney.

— Pablo Hidalgo (@pablohidalgo) December 22, 2015

Pablo Hidalgo is a creative executive at Lucasfilm.

We here at Monkeys Fighting Robots apologize for misleading our amazing audience.

Star Wars: Episode VIII is written and directed by Rian Johnson, and stars Daisy Ridley, Oscar Issac, John Boyega, Carrie Fisher, Gwendoline Christie, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Mark Hamill, and Debicio Del Toro as a new villain.

Star Wars: Episode VIII will be in theaters on May 26, 2017.

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Re-Open ‘The X-Files’ With A 21-Minute Featurette

By

Matthew Sardo

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December 28, 2015

FOX released a 21-minute featurette, to re-introduce audiences to The X-Files.

Thirteen years after the original series run, the next mind-bending chapter of THE X-FILES is a thrilling, six-episode event series from creator/executive producer Chris Carter, with stars David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson re-inhabiting their roles as iconic FBI Agents FOX MULDER and DANA SCULLY.

Mitch Pileggi also returns as FBI ASST. DIR. WALTER SKINNER, Mulder and Scully’s boss, who walks a fine line between loyalty to these investigators and accountability to his superiors. This marks the momentous return of the Emmy- and Golden Globe Award-winning pop culture phenomenon, which remains one of the longest-running sci-fi series in network television history.

THE X-FILES debuts with a special two-night event beginning Sunday, Jan. 24, 2016. The upcoming event series will encompass a mixture of stand-alone episodes and those that further the original show’s seminal mythology. In the opening episode, Mulder and Scully take on a case of a possible alien abductee.

The all-new episodes will feature appearances by guest stars, including Joel McHale (“Community”), Robbie Amell (“The Flash”), Lauren Ambrose (“Dig,” “Six Feet Under”), Annabeth Gish (“The Bridge”), Annet Mahendru (“The Americans”), Rhys Darby (“Flight of the Conchords”), Kumail Nanjiani (“Silicon Valley”) and William B. Davis, who reprises his role as “Cigarette Smoking Man.” Three of the episodes are written and directed by Chris Carter, with the remaining new episodes written and directed by original series veterans Glen Morgan, Darin Morgan and James Wong.

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‘The Force Awakens’ Aftermath: Top 5 Theories On Rey

By

Anthony Composto - EIC

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December 28, 2015

Spoilers ahead for Star Wars: The Force Awakens!

Maybe the biggest mystery leading up to The Force Awakens was “How are Rey and Kylo Ren related to the Skywalkers?” Speculation ran wild based on old Expanded Universe stories, toy descriptions/voice boxes, and extremely brief moments from the trailers. Are the two siblings? Cousins?

Here’s what is now known: Kylo Ren is actually Ben Solo. He seemed strangely interested in this girl from Jakku, even before he saw her or learned her name. Most importantly, Rey is strong in the Force, and has some skill in wielding it without any training (that’s been seen).

She’s not originally from Jakku, so where is she from? Time for the top five theories:

1. Rey Skywalker

The biggest and most likely theory is that Rey is the daughter of Luke Skywalker. Now, Jedi aren’t supposed to have partners or procreate, but Luke has never been the typical Jedi, having come around decades after the fall of the Jedi Order. He could have had Rey, trained her partially, and then hid her on Jakku to protect her from her cousin Ben. Or maybe he felt his emotions clouding his judgment, similar to why Anakin ultimately fell to the dark side, and stashed her away until he could learn to better control them.

The big argument here is that Rey would have remembered Luke being her father, or that Han and Leia would have recognized her. But what if Luke used the Force to fudge her memories a little? This would also help explain why she’s suddenly so good with her powers; her training is slowly coming back to her as she comes in contact with the Force. As for Han and Leia, no one is saying that Luke had Rey before going into exile. He could have had her later, and his friends would have never known. Then again, maybe they do know the truth and are just waiting to see how events turn out. It’s happened before in the Star Wars Universe (looking at you Obi-Wan, knowingly letting Luke fall for his sister).

And what about Lor San Tekka, the elderly man who gives Poe the map to Luke’s whereabouts? He just happens to be living on the outskirts of Jakku where this Force strong girl lives? And Luke (presumably) gave him of all people the final piece of the map? Sounds like there might be another Ben Kenobi situation happening here. An old man, living a peaceful existence, keeping an eye on his friend’s offspring from afar until the time is right.

Finally, there’s the lightsaber, the strongest argument for Rey being Luke’s offspring. The Skywalker lightsaber calls to Rey from Maz Kanata’s basement. She answers the call, and upon touching the saber, awakens something in the Force (heh). Maz Kanata tells her explicitly, this was Luke’s lightsaber, and his father’s before him, and now it’s calling to Rey. That sounds pretty on-the-nose. Star Wars has always been the story of the Skywalker family trying to bring balance to the Force. Is Rey the next chapter in that story? And who’s her mother?

2. A Promising Padawan of Luke’s New Jedi Academy

What if Rey was just another very promising student of Luke’s new Jedi Academy, second only to his nephew? The Force Awakens alludes that Kylo Ren decimated Luke’s plans for a new Jedi Order, and possibly killed all of his pupils. Master Skywalker may have taken his last hope for the Jedi and hidden her for later use. This could also explain why Kylo Ren is so fixated on Rey; she’s the one that got away. And again, similar to the previous theory, Luke may have blocked certain memories of Rey’s until he chose to retrieve her.

So her family may not be of any importance after all. Similar to Anakin, maybe she was just a youngling given to the Jedi so that she may have a better life. Her story could be more important than just what her last name is. Are fans really going to try and track down the family history of each and every child that Luke trained? This is Star Wars, so the answer is “probably, yeah.” But no one is saying that they’re going to find anything.

3. Rey Solo

Do twins run in the Skywalker family?

The Lucasfilm Story Group has shown that they’re not afraid to borrow concepts from the old Expanded Universe. Kylo Ren is a dead ringer for Jacen Solo, son of Han and Leia, and pupil of Luke who ultimately falls to the dark side. Jacen had a twin sister in those E.U. tales, Jaina, who inherited both her mother’s Force sensitivity and her father’s mechanical prowess. These traits sound very familiar in light of The Force Awakens.

Rey does not seem to be the same age as Kylo Ren; he appears older. But even if they aren’t twins, they could be siblings. This would again explain why Kylo Ren looks shaken when he’s told that Finn escaped Jakku with a native girl. He remembers his sister, who maybe he could not bring himself to kill when he was wiping out Luke’s students. Maybe Kylo was even the one who left her on Jakku, not her parents, as an alternate way of taking her out of the picture.

The idea of a Force mind wipe is once again in play, explaining why Rey doesn’t remember Han and Leia as her parents, only as legends. Perhaps the reason they don’t reveal themselves to her when they meet is a matter of timing. They didn’t want to overwhelm her with this news on top of the burden she took on bringing the map to the Resistance, and now bringing the lightsaber to Luke.

Jaina Solo ultimately had to put her brother Jacen down, so it will be interesting to see just how much Lucasfilm ends up borrowing from the E.U.

4. A Descendant of Obi-Wan Kenobi

What was Obi-Wan up to for those 19 years on Tatooine?

Almost nothing is known of old Ben during these years in the new canon. Marvel’s Star Wars comic features Luke finding his mentor’s journal, and a whole issue is dedicated to telling just one tale. Will future stories reveal a tryst resulting in pregnancy?

Obi-Wan wasn’t a stickler for Jedi law; he was more of a big-picture guy than one to get lost in dogma. He even reveals in The Clone Wars that he once considered leaving the Order to be with Satine Kryze of Mandalore. He has known love, so who is to say that he couldn’t fall victim to it once more? Especially in the aftermath of Order 66; the Jedi are dead, and so are their rules. Taking it even further, maybe he was never aware of his child, which means he couldn’t be aware of a granddaughter. But when Luke was tracking down the next generation of Jedi, he probably would have been drawn to the familiar presence of a Kenobi.

The similarities are there. First, there’s the Coruscanti accent (though any true Star Wars fan knows Obi-Wan comes from Stewjon), which neither Luke, Leia, nor Han have. Then there’s the obvious Force sensitivity, but more specifically there is the aptitude for the Jedi Mind Trick, which Rey seems to pick up on very quickly. Finally, there is the fact that Obi-Wan actually spoke to Rey via the Force in Episode VII. It would be very fitting for Luke to have trained his friend and master’s grandchild, and it would explain why he was protective enough to hide her from Snoke and the First Order. This theory may not be as outlandish as it sounds.

5. Female Clone of Luke Skywalker

Ah yes, the dreaded “C” word of the Star Wars Universe.

Like it or not, clones exist in this galaxy, and have played a major role in the canon. Not only that, but Jedi clones in particular have already been established in Star Wars video games. Perhaps Luke cloned himself to give the Jedi hope once he was gone (a bit egotistical, but perhaps). Or perhaps he cloned himself to have a child, similar to how Jango Fett had Boba Fett. Rey could be Luke’s vision for the future, the last chance for peace in the galaxy, stored on Jakku for when she is needed most. It would best explain her natural capacity for using the Force: it’s literally ingrained in her DNA. Kylo Ren also mentions the Republic’s old clone army, showing that the technology has not been forgotten 50+ years post-Revenge of the Sith.

Spider-Man fans can attest that clone stories can be very detrimental to a franchise. But, if told right, they have great potential, and gender-bent clone stories have especially proven popular (X-23 and Ultimate Spider-Woman are just two fan favorites). If Rey is Luke’s clone, it could add layers to her character as she strives to find meaning in her life, and fights to become her own person over the upcoming films. Suddenly the clone theory doesn’t sound so bad.

Bonus Theory: Force Baby

This one is for fans of the prequels. Remember how The Phantom Menace revealed that Anakin had no father? He was some sort of immaculate conception, supposedly created by the Force, explaining his increased sensitivity to it. Maybe Rey is another case of Force conception, explaining her increased sensitivity and powers. This would actually tie in nicely with the theory that Supreme Leader Snoke is actually Darth Plagueis, who not only strove to conquer death through the Force, but also wanted to be able to create life. Though it’s hard to believe Lucasfilm would want to mirror one of the most hated plot points of the entire Star Wars saga.

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Rey says she’s no one, and some audience members are hoping she’s right. But too many breadcrumbs have been left by the filmmakers; she’s someone with a backstory worth telling.

Also Check Out Monkeys Fighting Robots Top 5 Theories on Supreme Leader Snoke!

Also Check Out Monkeys Fighting Robots Top 5 Theories on Finn!

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8 Most Anticipated Horror Films of 2016

By

Curtis Waugh

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December 28, 2015

2015 was a notably barren year for horror movies. Many excellent entries were relegated to festival circuits and immediate VOD releases, never receiving the glory of proper big-screen tours. Much of this has to do with the real paradigm shift in distribution when it comes to lower-budget horror. Distributing movies isn’t a cheap thing and the horror genre, in particular, is more susceptible to the “Netflix and chill” attitude than many other options. Unless you’re Jason Blum, getting your gore in front of audiences has become more about streaming than projecting (or pressing play on that DCP).

2016 offers a lot of horrific potential and it is up to us, the audience, to vote with our wallet and demand to see these flicks in cinemas where they belong. Of course, not all releases will be classics so let’s look at the top 8 offerings 2016 holds in horror.

8) 31 January 23rd

This is the new Rob Zombie movie. I’ll let the IMDb synopsis say everything I need to say about it.

31 tells the story of five carnies in 1976 kidnapped on the morning of Halloween and held hostage in a remote industrial Hell. While trapped, they are forced to play a violent game called 31. The mission is to survive 12 hours against an endless gang of grease-painted maniacs.

7) Lights Out July 22nd

[embedyt] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUQhNGEu2KA[/embedyt]

If we’re looking for the next Paranormal Activity, this could be it. Lights Out is based on the effective short of the same name by David Sandberg. Sandberg was hired to expand the idea of a creature that only shows up when, you guessed it, the lights are out and word is that he has proven himself capable of delivering more than just a good hook. Color me cautious when it comes to my expectations for this one, as I’m not a fan of the short which is nothing more than a well-executed jump scare. But I’m interested.

6) Pride and Prejudice and Zombies February 5th

[embedyt] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=foGraEVNI0s[/embedyt]

Laugh all you want, but Seth Grahame-Smith’s source novel is a very clever take on Jane Austen’s seminal classic, serving up something greater than an eye-rolling cash-in on a popular horror trend. The film could be a total train wreck but does boast a stellar cast including Lily James, Matt Smith, Lena Headey and Charles Dance. It probably will lean more toward the action in this action-horror mash but the trailer looks promising nonetheless.

5) Rings April 1st

The long-gestating third entry in the Ring series greets us on April Fools Day, this time coming from director, F. Javier Gutierrez, with a script co-penned by Akiva Goldsman (I Am Legend). The 2002 American remake of Ringu, was a bonafide horror blockbuster, providing genuine scares and disturbing imagery that tilted the genre for the better part of the next decade. Its sequel, however… not so much. The series’ attempt at reinvigoration with a new, hot director at the helm is at the very least an intriguing release if not to see if it can recapture the spirit of the “original”.

4) A Man in the Dark August 26th

Fede Alvarez’s follow-up to his Evil Dead debut is an intriguing item simply to see if Alvarez can keep bringing the goods. His Evil Dead wasn’t amazing, but its heart was in the right place and took some ambition when it could have been a weak studio facade of a movie. A Man in the Dark follows a group of teens after they’ve broken into a blind man’s home, thinking they’ve gotten away with the perfect crime. So far, all we have is that general tagline and, at the very least, it promises something mischievous, surprising and potentially very brutal. Count me in.

3) The Purge 3 July 1st

The Purge series has become a strange summer mainstay after debuting two years ago to big success and following that up with an even better entry and even bigger success. We’ll see if the climb in quality continues with sequel two as they are bringing back star of The Purge: Anarchy, Frank Grillo. Grillo provided the sequel with an gray moral center and overall badassery that didn’t exist in the first go-around. It also helped that Anarchy actually cashed-in on the idea of a city as big as LA allowing all crime for 12 hours. I’m hopefully optimistic for The Purge 3 when it hits summer 2016.

2) The Conjuring 2: The Enfield Poltergeist June 10th

The Conjuring is a stone cold classic of the genre. James Wan (Saw, Insidious) proved his chops at building scares as well as characters yet again in the “true” story of real life paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren. The sequel is set to detail what Lorraine Warren herself considers the most evil presence the husband and wife team ever faced. The Conjuring already spun out of itself when Annabelle hit theaters in 2014 to less than stellar acclaim. Mr. Wan is the real star of this show and audiences will be sure to arrive at what is arguably the biggest horror release of 2016.

1) The Witch February 26th

[embedyt] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQXmlf3Sefg[/embedyt]

This 2015 festival darling was unfortunately pushed from the Halloween season where it rightfully belonged and moved to late February of ’16 by distributor A24. The movie details the plight of a family so Puritan, the New England Puritan village which housed them kicks them out for their radical Puritanism and into the wild where they soon discover an evil torment lurking at the edges of the surrounding woods. Written and directed by newcomer Robert Eggers, The Witch features stunning photography, bone-deep scares and era-accurate dialogue which deepens the feeling of dread. I was lucky enough to see the film in 2015 and I can’t wait to take everyone I know once it finally hits in the new year.

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A First Look At Benedict Cumberbatch as ‘Doctor Strange’

By

Dewey Singleton - Film Critic

-

December 28, 2015

Fans of Doctor Strange have much to look forward to with the film set to be released in late 2016. As a treat to start the new year, Entertainment Weekly released a first look at the beloved Marvel Character in it’s special beginning of the year double issue. Not only will fans find Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) in full costume on the cover but inside the issue we were treated to exclusive pictures from the highly anticipated film.The film follows the story of self-centered neurosurgeon Dr. Stephen Vincent Strange who transforms into a sorcerer after a horrific car accident and stumbles upon a hidden world of magic. Marvel Comics’ Stan Lee and Steve Ditko co-created the character in 1963.The movie also stars Tilda Swinton, Rachel McAdams, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Mads Mikkelsen. Swinton will play Strange’s mentor, the Ancient One, while Ejiofor will appear as Baron Mordo, who also studied under the Ancient One before becoming Strange’s nemesis.Directed by Scott Derrickson (“Sinister”) and written by Jon Spaihts, “Doctor Strange” hits theaters on Nov. 4, 2016.

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