Who doesn’t want to watch vampires and zombies fight aliens in a comedy action-flick!?
In Freaks of Nature, we welcome you to Dillford, where three days ago, everything was peaceful and business as usual: the vampires were at the top of the social order, the zombies were at the bottom, and the humans were getting along in the middle. But this delicate balance was ripped apart when the alien apocalypse arrived in Dillford and put an end to all the harmony. Now it’s humans vs. vampires vs. zombies in all-out, blood-sucking, brain-eating, vamp-staking mortal combat – and all of them are on the run from the aliens. It is up to three teenagers – one human, one vampire, and one zombie – to team up, figure out how to get rid of the interplanetary visitors, and try to restore order to this “normal” little town.
Freaks of Nature stars Mackenzie Davis, Ed Westwick, Vanessa Hudgens, Keegan-Michael Key, Joan Cusack, Bob Odenkirk, Denis Leary, and Cerina Vincent.
The Robbie Pickering directed film will be in theaters on October 30.
Over the past week, it was rumored and then subsequently confirmed by Variety that Mark Ruffalo’s Hulk will be teaming up Chris Hemsworth’s Thor in Marvel’s upcoming Thor: Ragnarok. This has led to much speculation. What threat is so big that The God of Thunder would need The Green Goliath at his side to conquer? The Norse mythology Thor is based on contains several creatures that could give Thor and Hulk a run for their money and in this editorial, we take a look at 10 of those monsters who should appear in Ragnarok.
HONORABLE MENTION
RAGNAROK
Despite the films title most certainly referring to the Norse end of days event, there does exist a character by the name of Ragnarok in Marvel comics. A creation of Tony Stark during the “Civil War” event, Ragnarok is a cyborg clone of the real Thor and is famously known for killing Goliath during the same event.His power set pretty makes him a bizarro Thor and it would be great to see The Hulk and Thor fighting essentially another Thor. While his creation was referenced with a one-liner in Avengers: Age Of Ultron, it is highly unlikely that he would be one of the monsters to be encountered by the duo.
10. JORMUNGANDR
The Jormungandr, also known as the ‘Serpent of Midgard’ is Thor’s arch nemesis in Norse mythology. Jormungandr is also an integral part of the Ragnarok as he is set to be the final monster Thor has to defeat to save the world. With his ties to Midgard, it stands to reason why Hulk could be involved. Jormungandr is a big enough threat to warrant a team up of two of Marvel’s best. And to see them teaming up to fight this creature would make for great cinema.
9. FENRIR
While this beast has more ties to Odin and Loki in the Norse Ragnarok myth, it would certainly make for a great cinematic experience. It is a monstrous wolf that is prophesied to kill Odin. A being powerful enough to kill Odin would certainly be a great match for Thor and Hulk to go against. In the mythology, it is Loki’s son but that could easily be changed into a creation of the faux king of Asgard to go against Thor and Hulk when they discover his treachery.
8. FIRE JOTNAR
The Jotunn are the giants of Norse mythology. We have already encountered a race of them in the Frost Giants of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the set piece involving Thor and the Warriors Three fighting them is undoubtedly one of the best parts of the first Thor movie. Another variety of these creatures, the Fire Jotnar resides in Muspelheim ruled by the Fire Jotunn, Surtr. With the rumors of Hulk’s involvement in Thor: Ragnarok came the scoop that Thor and The Hulk will be venturing into a new realm which is neither Midgard nor Asgard. Muspelheim could be this realm with the fire Jotnar serving as the monstrous fodder Thor and The Hulk have to fight through.
7. GARMR
Another wolflike creature, Garmr guards the gates of Hel and has been associated with Ragnarok in Norse myth. Garmr’s howl is said to precede the coming of Ragnarok so depending on how close to the mythology Marvel adheres to, we might see a version of the monster in the film. It would serve a great opener to the film if a raging Hulk somehow finds himself at the gates of Hel, fights the monster and as it dies, lets out a final howl which will ring through all nine realms signaling the beginning of the end. The Thor films have done well in this department with all their openings used to set up the film with great action scenes and effects.
6. GULLINBURSTI
Gullinbursti is a fierce Boar created by Eitri and Brokkr as a gift to Freyr who is a figurehead in the Ragnarok myth. while this creature by itself would pose a minimal threat to Thor and Hulk, an army of Gullinbursti is certain to even the odds and make for a visually stunning battle.
5. NIDHOGGR
Nidhoggr is a dragon in Norse mythology that lives in the bottom of the World Tree (Yggdrasil) which connects all nine realms. Thor drew the world tree for Jane in the first film and it wouldn’t be far fetched for him and Hulk to have to go to the roots of Yggdrasil in their quest to end Ragnarok. The Nidhoggr has an appetite for dead flesh and chews on the dead bodies of those guilty of murder, adultery, and oath breaking. The visualization of its lair alone will be breathtaking if done right. And a fight to the death against a team of Thor and the Jade Giant will be a sight to behold.
4. FROST GIANTS
If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it! Most fans agree that the sequences with the Frost Giants of Jotunnheim were among the best parts of the first Thor film. They were a great threat, looked insanely cool and had the best fight set piece in the film. The last time we saw them, Loki had attempted to destroy them and they will definitely be holding a grudge against Asgardians. Since the Jotunn are a big part of Ragnarok, it would make for a great fight if Thor and Hulk ran into these bunch during their adventure. It would be the first time since The Incredible Hulk where fans will get to see Hulk going toe to toe with another creature as big as himself and another chance to see Thor unleash the true devastating power of Mjolnir.
3. KRONANS
We saw Thor take out a Kronan in Thor: The Dark World. So this confirms the existence of that race in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The Hulk has history with a Kronan named Korg in the Planet Hulk storyline and as nod to that (Marvel has said they have no plans of ever doing that story in live action), it would be great to see Thor and Hulk encounter a group of these rock monsters led by Korg himself for good measure. And this time, there should be a real fight that is absolutely nothing like one hit kill that we had in the previous film. Fans will forgive the plot hole if we get a real visually appealing slugfest.
2. GEIRROD
Here’s another monster who has ties to Loki. In Norse mythology, this giant captures Loki and in exchange for his freedom, Loki agrees to lead Thor into a trap where Geirrod can kill the god of Thunder. This could be another way to introduce the Hulk into Thor’s world. Loki, still masquerading as the All-Father could send Thor into this trap where he will to his surprise find Hulk being held captive by Geirrod. He could then free the Green Goliath and together they will defeat the monster. Regardless of how he is used in the story, Geirrod going against Thor and Hulk would be a great opener for their team up, not to mention the visual effects for this sequence, if done right, could be an amazing sight to see. It will also be a fight where we will see the Hulk able to cut loose and go berserk.
1. SURTUR
This one is almost a no-brainer is most likely going to happen. Surtur is the Fire Jotunn ruler of Muspelheim. In the comics, it is told that Loki will free Surtur and other enemies of Asgard to bring about Ragnarok, the end of days. He is over 1000ft in height, possess a magical giant flaming sword and his strength far surpasses that of Thor. Which will make the team up with Hulk a necessity to defeat Surtur. This is a fight sequence that should only be rivaled by the final showdown between the Avengers and Thanos.
Thor: Ragnarok is directed by Taika Waititi and stars Chris Hemsworth. The film will destroy theaters on November 3, 2017.
Matt Reeves has grown as a filmmaker since his early days as the writer of Under Siege 2: Dark Territory. Since then, Reeves has directed Cloverfield, Let Me In, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes and he has just started filming ‘War for the Planet of the Apes.
Reeves brought the franchise back to financial success with $708,835,589 that Dawn of the Planet of the Apes generated worldwide at the box office.
The new trend by filmmakers is to post set photos from the beginning of filming and with Reeves’ tweet from the beach, he joins the likes of Zack Synder, Bryan Singer, and David Ayer
War for the Planet of the Apes stars Andy Serkis, Woody Harrelson, and Steve Zahn.
The film will be released in theaters on July 14, 2017.
Neill Blomkamp continues to work on his Aliens sequel and the director loves to tease fans with film updates on his Instagram account. Blomkamp’s latest post brought back the iconic pulse rifle from the James Cameron film.
“We all knew there would be pulse rifles. Obviously. Now with added RIS,” said Blomkamp.
Blomkamp is still working on the script for the fifth Alien film. Sigourney Weaver and Michael Biehn are planned to return for the sequel. Blomkamp’s Aliens could be released late 2017 or in 2018.
AXCEND #1 Writer: Shane Davis Artist: Shane Davis Inks: Michelle Delecki Colors: Morry Hollowell Publisher: IMAGE
The initial reaction that can come from AXCEND, is that it is going to be another superhero comic, with a Peter Parker-esque character trope as the protagonist. However, once you delve deeper into the issue, you come to find the initial inclination to be wrong. While the main character Eric Morn, could be compared to the typical Parker like character, the further into the book, one can quickly see Eric has a bit more depth, as well as some huge differences in his character. While he is also motivated by the death of a family member, his twin brother and portrayed as a loner, the plot points behind this differ greatly from the iconic backstory of Spider-Man. It draws from the same well, but delivers different results and a character closer to the current social climate.
AXCEND 1 opens up with Eric confronting a classmate, who’s bullying another student. While Eric doesn’t come off as the typical weak nerd this scenario usually entails, through the dialogue it’s revealed, not only is the bully a former friend of his deceased twin but, Eric is also the least liked of the two. Moving forward, Eric returns home to be met by his mother, who’s been trying to contact him all day about visiting his brother’s grave with her, on his one year anniversary. Eric while understanding her intentions are good, shrugs her off, simply wanting to be left alone to play video games. This is where the main theme of AXCEND is presented and expanded later in the book, through a virtual reality game Eric is playing and eventually, through unknown consequences as of now, crosses over into the real world.
What is great about AXCEND is Eric’s character, who seems dynamic, with a variety of personal issues he’s going through. While he is your typical angsty teen loner, the reasoning behind this is heavy and steeped in a story, which one can assume will be explored further, in future issues. The breakdown Eric has with his councilor alone, creates a real focus on him having to deal with the loss of his brother, who he was deeply connected to in a variety of ways. The dialogue throughout is very well written and grounded. It actually feels like real conversations, rather than forced ones that writers end up overwriting. This feels like a story that will be character driven, rather than plot. With the character’s themselves being the force behind what makes this book relatable, which is always a big plus.
As far as the artwork, it’s solid as well from the team of Shane Davis, Michelle Delecki and Morry Hollowell. Davis’s pencil work is clean, detailed and life like, really bringing the story to life. You can also see the heavy influence of mainstream superhero artwork, during the virtual reality sequences. It becomes an extremely noticeable DC style, which makes sense when you look at Davis’s background. AXCEND’s artwork is very sharp and perfect for the book, completely insync with Davis’s writing.
The strengths are clearly in the character’s themselves, which in a comic, will always make a better reading experience long term, than plot.
Whether you’re an indy fan or not, AXCEND is definitely a book recommend to check out from IMAGE. It’s solid around the board in writing and artwork, as well as character and tone. The strengths are clearly in the character’s themselves, which in a comic, will always make a better reading experience long term, than plot. Good characters create connections to the reader, creating lifelong fans who will support and follow the series. AXCEND has that quality and is worth the time to read.
The media blitz for The Force Awakens has begun in full force (pardon the pun). ESPN has now released multiple version of teasers promoting the airing of the final trailer on Monday Night Football. What do you guys think?
Today’s episode gets very political as Hazuma, the man who will become Black Jack is once again faced with a medical dilemma that makes him question his actions. It is important to remember the show is taking place during the Vietnam war. It turns out that Hazuma’s neighbor is a member of an anti-war movement and is currently harboring two deserters from the American Army, one of which is suffering from debilitating headaches. Since they obviously can’t go to the hospital they insist that Hazuma helps them. After the initial examination, Hazuma realizes that the only way to the save the man’s life is to operate.
Instead of realizing now would be a good time to go to the authorities to ensure their friend lives, the protesters becoming incredibly self-righteous and insist that Hazuma has to do the operation. Hazuma refuses insisting such an action would cause him to lose any chance of practicing medicine in the future. Just as he is about to leave he realizes not operating is the same as letting the man die. If he wishes to be like the doctor who saved his life he has to perform the surgery. No matter the consequences to his career. Is the surgery a success? Or is Hazuma’s medical career dead in the water?
The drama of this show presents is genuine. Hazuma simply wishes to become a doctor and save lives. Still he keeps running into moral obstacles and ghosts from his past. Literally ghosts in today’s episode as he sees visions of the surgeon who inspired him when he was a kid. Viewers will keep rooting for Hazuma to stay the course and be the amazing doctor we all know and appreciate he becomes in the future. By the look of the preview of the next episode, this won’t be the last time Vietnam interferes with Hazuma’s life.
Young Black Jack is simulcast streaming from Crunchyroll.
This episode picks up with Kimito getting used to his usual day at the Seikan Academy. Activities include getting woken up by a maid, who immediately remarks how much she hates him and having to use the backdoor because the girls at the school would surround him out of curiosity. After that, it’s pretty much just Kimito getting used to being in a school with nothing but rich girls. This time around we marvel at the fact that the girls have never eaten cup ramen before (which is basically just the instant coffee joke from Ouran High School Host Club with a different cheap food as a substitute). Reiko feels the occasion is so special that they need to break out the good dinner wear in order to enjoy it properly.
The main focus of this episode is to point out where the two main females are on the social hierarchy. Reiko is the typical “Queen of the School” character who can do no wrong in the eyes of others. Meanwhile on the other end of the scale, Aika so shy and reserved around others she prefers to eat her lunch on the toilet. Poor girl.
More relationship development occurs as Kimito gets to know both Reiko and Aika better. Aika learns about manga and starts to believe High Schools commoners have psychic powers. Kimito takes advantage of her gullibility and makes her believe she can stop time. This leads to Aika flashing her panties and when she finds out she’s been played, Kimito gets slapped. Meanwhile with Reiko, Kimito shares a dance at his welcome party and sees her naked in the shower. This leads to Reiko falling in love with him because…anime logic?
It’s a series that fun so far but harem tropes are already in play. This will probably not be the show that breaks the mold but will instead be one that will appeal to those that love this particular genre. For now there are worse things that anime fan can be watching this season.
Shomin Sample is simulcast streaming from Funimation.
Another episode looking at Peridot trying to get along with the Crystal Gems and ending up butting heads with one of them instead. This time, it’s Amythest who she finds conflict with. As the episode starts, Steven and Amethyst find Peridot’s constant recording of notes and her way of having a bizarre technical name for everything amusing. The fun continues as the trio head back to the kindergarten for supplies and Peridot keeps making base observations about Pearl and Garnet that Amethyst is still entertained by. It’s not until Peridot starts making crash technical remarks about Amethyst herself where problems start to arise.
Back at the Barn, Amethyst starts giving Peridot the cold shoulder for the comments. Then the machine the team has been working on goes out of control and Peridot saves Amethyst from getting hurt. Afterward, Peridot plays Amethyst an apology she made on her recorder and Amethyst forgives her. It looks like Peridot is slowly becoming a member of the team.
We learn more about Amethyst as we watch Peridot try to make friends. Turns out that despite her ability to change her shape, the fact she was born so close to earth results in her always being a smaller size in her base form. It’s a little bit more information about one of the main cast. If anything Peridot’s arrival keeps helping to answer the questions that fans have been asking about the show since the start. Hopefully, the next episode will find Peridot trying to make friends with garnet. Good luck with that!
John Boyega who will be playing Finn in Star Wars: The Force Awakens just posted the following snippet on his Instagram account. Could this be a snippet from the trailer that is set to play during Monday Night Football? All I know is that Monday can’t get here soon enough!
