A little while ago I wrote an article about Anime’s next trend, and one show I mentioned was the comedy show, Osomatsu-san. Well, the time has come for us to examine this show, will it successfully break into this next generation?
Of course, what makes this show different is that, unlike all the other shows I’ve covered so far, this one is a sequel… kinda.
It is a continuation of the previous seasons, but there is a large time skip in the show, oh, and the last anime aired twenty-seven years ago. The original manga, penned by ‘The Gag Manga King” Fujio Akatsuka, was adapted in the 1960’s for 60 episodes. But in the 80’s it was re-adapted for 88 episodes. Which leads us to Osomatsu-san, the sequel to the 27-year-old Osomatsu-kun (TV 2), which was a re-adaptation of Osomatsu-kun (TV 1), which was an adaptation of Osomatsu-kun (Manga). Don’t forget that this is made in honor of what would be Fujio Akatsuka’s 80th birthday (he died at the age of 72 in 2008) Caught up? Ok. Now that we know the show’s 53 year history, let’s see what the show is actually about.
An appropriate reaction when trying to figure this history out
But the synopsis situation is a little odd. The only information we have on plot is that it will follow the characters during their adulthood. So for the sake of clarity, here is the synopsis for the original show: “The leading character is a boy named Osomatsu, who is one of sextuplets. This zany comedy features such eccentric and over-the-top characters as bucktoothed French-styled Iymi, bald boy Chibita, big-pants Dekapan, self-absorbed cutie Totoko, and many others. Together they create many topsy-turvy confusions in the town.” (Source) I’d imagine the only difference will be older characters and new workplace setting.
Yeah, so we have the director known for one of the best comedy in anime, working on a sequel to an adaptation of a manga by “The Gag Manga King.” This show has some serious big comic names behind it.
On top of that the animation looks pretty slick. It keeps the simple 60’s gag style found in the manga and the other adaptations, without holding back on the colors and smooth animation. I think it’s a pretty nice style.
The only big question left is whether you have to sit through 88 episodes, and a movie, to fully appreciate this show. My impression, no. 60’s Gag manga didn’t have much of a story beside the initial premise, and it seems to be full of anime-only content (this is not something I can confirm, just my conclusion after being unable to find the source material for this show).
Miss me?
Regardless, I think this show should be checked out by everyone, when considering the staff behind it, the history, meaning, and the cultural impact this show has had, it will be perhaps the most important show of the season.
Osomatsu-san will begin airing on October 6th, 2015, for the Fall 2015 season.
Despite an immensely talented cast all working hard to be at their most winsome and charming, The Intern fails to impress mainly due to a belabored and heavy-handed script and surprisingly forced performances from a talented cast trying way too hard to be winsome and charming. Cast and crew certainly seem to have the best of intentions here in their efforts to deliver a multi-generational feel-good comedy, and to be sure, the film has its laughs and moments of cuteness — just not enough to mask all that goes fundamentally wrong.
Robert De Niro plays widower and recent retiree Ben Whitaker, who after a four-decade-long career in sales and marketing finds himself restless and unfulfilled without a job to go to every day. He jumps at the chance to apply for a “senior internship program” with an e-commerce start-up based in his native Brooklyn, and after shining during a number of interviews conducted by people a third his age, he earns a spot working for the company’s owner/founder, Jules Ostin (Anne Hathaway). For Jules, whose passion for her creation drives her to be a part of every single aspect of its day-to-day operation, having to find things for Ben to help with is at first more of a nuisance than a help. She does her best to ignore that he’s even there, but even she begins to notice as Ben impresses everyone — his fellow interns, Jules’s beleaguered assistant Becky (Christina Scherer), and the company’s lovely on-staff masseuse Fiona (Rene Russo) — with his impeccable every day suit-and-tie style, professionalism, good humor, and seemingly tireless work ethic.
Once she makes an effort to actually utilize Ben and the wealth of business and personal wisdom he brings to work with him each day, Jules finds him indispensable as she faces challenges both in the workplace and at home. The two bond and develop trust over just how much work and working the right way is a part of their very identities, but when Ben accidentally discovers something potentially devastating happening in Jules’s world happening during a critical time for her and the company, that new trust is put to a very difficult test.
The main problem with The Intern as a cohesive film is that it’s not sure what it wants to be, aside from entertaining and validating to the folks over 55 who will be forking over ticket money to see it in theaters this weekend. Despite the vastly disparate ages of her lead actors, writer/director Nancy Meyers (It’s Complicated, Something’s Gotta Give) dramatically structures The Intern as a romantic comedy, with what she wants audiences to feel throughout the film being that these two mismatched people, Ben and Jules, are truly meant for each other, only not in the romantic sense, but in the workplace sense. Put another way, the intent is for audiences to fall in love with the idea of Ben and Jules being each other’s perfect “work-spouse” — they would be the perfect partners, if only the younger, less wise and sensible character would recognize it and embrace it. At least, every plot beat in the film seems to indicate that intent right up until the film’s final minutes, where an ending that completely avoids that expectation and fails to resolve a number of other plot threads developed earlier in the film rather abruptly and unsatisfactorily drops the curtain on the proceedings. It’s almost as if Meyers knew how predictable her plot was from the get-go, and dropped a completely incongruous ending to the story just to say, “Fooled ya!”
Another, even more basic problem here is that The Intern isn’t even consistent as to who its main character is throughout the film. Meyers gets the ball rolling with the narrative focus firmly on De Niro and Ben’s search for a way to fill the void left by both the passing of his wife and the end of his working days. But about midway through the film the focus shifts entirely to Hathaway and her character’s professional and personal crises — indeed, the film’s entire denouement focuses on the resolution of Jules’s problems, and leaves Ben’s personal journey to be clumsily tied up with a cutesy final scene and no definitive conclusion. It all looks and feels like Meyers lost interest in or could find no satisfying answer to the question of how to redefine one’s self after a lifetime of doing so through work, and retreated back to safer, triter territory for this type of film.
Finally, there’s just no escaping the complete lack of chemistry between De Niro and Hathaway from the film’s start to its awkward finish. Despite their considerable talents and charm, their every scene together feels forced, their interactions never transcending a feeling of being directed. The pair are exactly what Jules thinks she and Ben will be at the outset: a poor fit for each other. In comparison, De Niro has a great deal more natural chemistry with his other younger co-stars: his scenes with his fellow interns, played by Adam Devine (Pitch Perfect 2), Zack Pearlman (TV’s “The Inbetweeners“), and Jason Orley, are among the film’s funniest and most genuinely entertaining. Also, the handful of charming scenes the veteran actor shares with Rene Russo might lead you to wonder how much more engaging this film might have been had it focused on their two characters and developed the evolution of their relationship a whole lot more.
And that just leads back once again to the feeling that The Intern really was supposed to be a De Niro vehicle, that it all was supposed to really be about the titular character that he inhabits. Had the production stuck to its premise and De Niro as its focus, then perhaps the film would have turned out to be far more satisfying and impacting, one that even the target audience might have found some inspiration from if Ben’s personal crisis of fulfillment resonated with them in some way. But by making the resolution of that crisis almost an afterthought, a by-product of the fact that Jules’s personal dramas and their resolution take over the film in the third act, the film simply settles for providing a few cute moments and a clear “look how much young people might learn if they just valued their elders and listened to them more” message. And what do seniors have to learn from Millennials, according to The Intern? Well, they sure are helpful when it comes to joining Facebook!
Will that message resonate with the target audience? Sure, it may elicit a chuckle or two. But in this case, that’s just preaching to the choir.
The Intern
Starring Robert De Niro, Anne Hathaway, Rene Russo, Anders Holm, Andrew Rannells, Adam Devine, Celia Weston, Nat Wolff, Linda Lavin, Zack Pearlman, Jason Orley, and Christina Scherer. Directed by Nancy Meyers.
Running Time: 121 minutes
Rated PG-13 for some suggestive content and brief strong language.
Hugh Jackman has said the third film in the Wolverine series will be the last time he dons the claws. This means someone new needs to fill Jackman’s big boots in future films. It will take a certain type of actor to follow Jackman, and hopefully step out of his shadow, but here is a list of a few good candidates for the role. 5. Josh Brolin
When trying to capture the gritty side of Wolverine’s personality look no further than Brolin. His performance in American Gangster and Jonah Hex shows he would help bring the aggressive side of the character’s personality to the surface. This will help ingratiate him into the role, mirroring some of Jackman’s ferocity. 4. Norman Reedus
The actor’s portrayal of Daryl from the Walking Dead mimics the beginning of The Wolverine, where Logan had withdrawn from the world to atone for his actions. It would be as if his time as Daryl was training to be Wolverine. Reedus would be able to show a more primal side of Logan, perhaps where the character finds himself in the wilderness for the whole film tracking some rogue mutant. Casting him as Wolverine almost writes the movie without any effort. 3. Jason Statham
When thinking about action movies, Statham is the man that immediately pops into a lot of people’s heads. His entire career, Statham has shown he is not afraid to mix it up and get physical with his roles. A necessary skill when wishing to play the role of Wolverine. Statham would also bring that icy stare of his which screams, “You don’t want to mess with me.” No, Mr. Wolverine, sir. We don’t. Though I’m not sure how that hairdo would work on Statham’s dome. 2. Stephen Amell
Thanks to his time on Arrow ,fans have seen just how physical the actor can be when portraying his roles. He would be able to capture the extremely muscular Wolverine Jackman showcased in the last few films. He would be able to take the punishment that the role inflicts on its actor, and his youth would help if the studio decides to look into Wolverine’s early days in future films. 1. Tom Hardy
Hugh Jackman himself said the actor would be perfect for the role, and he’s right. Hardy’s recent performance in Mad Max: Fury Road as the title character – a guy who wants to be left alone but finds himself having to fight for those who need his strength – screams Wolverine. Just give the man a pair of claws and the iconic haircut and let him get to work. Can’t you just hear him saying, “My name is Logan” at the end of the film. Honorable mention: Mickey Rourke
The rumor the third film is going to be called Old Man Logan, hinting it will follow that popular storyline from the comic of the same name. There, Logan lives in a future where the world’s Heroes have been defeated but he has survived in an America chopped into territories by Super Villains. If they want to continue with this plot in future films then casting a more veteran actor to be the aged Wolverine would be best. His role as Whiplash in Iron Man 2 shows he is still willing to step it up when needed to dish out punishment in Marvel movies.
It’s a crisp Tuesday night in University College Cork and as many students indulge themselves at the college bar, many more are crowded into a lecture theater eagerly awaiting the arrival of a very special guest speaker. From the audience whispers of “Dental Plan” and “Lisa needs braces” echo throughout the hall. For most of the attendees, The Simpsons was a core part of their childhood. Before the revolution of cable and satellite TV, Irish people only had two or three channels to choose from. Six O’Clock would roll around and the people of Ireland would be faced with a chilling dilemma; the choice between watching the evening news and enjoying a trip to Springfield. For my generation, The Simpsons holds a special place within our collective pop cultural hive-mind and we’ve all played “knifey-spoony” before. This familiarity makes it uniquely suited as a framework to illustrate economic principles, something which the evening’s guest speaker Dr. Joshua Hall; adjunct professor of Economics at West Virginia, has a lot of experience with.
Ever since Dr. Hall began lecturing, he has found that the use of pop culture examples within the class-room has allowed for students to better engage with the course material. The title of his lecture was Homer Economicus: The Four Times that The Simpsons was “Teacher, Mother and Secret Lover” [with donut points going for those who get the reference]. The event was organised by the UCC Economics Society has part of their annual Economics Week. It is clear from the start that Dr. Hall’s passion for The Simpsons is a strong as his economic expertise. For Hall, the study of economics is all about how people behavior and make decisions. His approach to teaching the principles of microeconomics has always been to provide students with tools that will help them at work, at home and at the ballot box. His aim is to transform students into homo economicus, to get people to think critically, to think like an economist.
Dr. Hall is someone who understand the importance of accessibility with regards to education. His work emphasises that economics is not about saying with certainty that somebody will make X choice, but rather that somebody might make X choice. As such, the actions of Homer Simpson are prime examples of how incentives affect the public. While more often than not, we may not have chosen the path that Homer often goes on during his misadventure, but in almost all of those scenarios there are clear, logical incentives at work. We can understand why in “King-Size Homer” he decides to become morbidly obese because he perceives the benefit of working from home being working to outweigh the negative impact on his health. It demonstrates that value is subjective and that incentives can have both seen and unforeseen consequences, something which the true economist will bare in mind. Hall demonstrates that The Simpsons has much teach us from the economics of immigration and politics to the economics behind prohibition. The episode “Homer vs. the Eighteenth Amendment” is clearly illustrative of the principle that illegality of a product does not necessarily impact demand for that product. Similarly Sideshow Bob’s mayoral campaign, in particular his focus on the construction of a “Matlock Expressway”, illustrates the importance of special interests within a political system and weight given to certain classes of voters such as the elderly. Throughout the entirety of the lecture, Dr. Hall is charismatic and passionate about the material being discussed. You can tell this is man who really cares about his work. Its quite clear that for him that everything is coming up Milhouse.
Recently, Dr. Hall has brought his work to the wider public. In 2014, he edited and published (with the Stanford University Press); Homer Economicus: The Simpsons and Economics which features contributions from over 16 economics scholars. Besides having one of the wittiest titles that I’ve ever seen, the book is a fantastic insight into the world of economics in an easy to understand and comprehensible manner. With chapters focusing on Monorail markets, Homer’s constant career changes and compulsive gambling, Dr. Hall says it appeals to both economic wonks and Simpsons fans. For the latter category, he hopes that they are able to look at their favourite episodes in a new light while gaining an appreciation for the core concepts of microeconomics. Dr. Hall also takings great pride in saying that the framework provided by The Simpsons allowed his mother to finally read some of his work. If something like The Simpsons can get people to engage with economics more, then he has done his job right. It’s clear that Joshua Hall’s work demonstrates that economics is everywhere. He is one of many academics using pop culture as a lens with which to view complicated material such as Daniel W. Drezner’s Theories of International Politics and Zombies. This is something to be welcomed and encouraged. Accessibility enhances an discipline as it allows more people to contribute and engage in a productive discourse. What is apparent from both his lecture and his book, is that Dr. Hall is someone whose love of fiction enriches his teaching ability. Homer Economicus provides that one can learn a lot from the antics of Springfield’s favourite family. Nothing is “umpossible”.
Homer Economicus: The Simpsons and Economics is available on Amazon, Book Depository, all good book-stores and some crap ones as well.
You can also follow Dr. Joshua Hall on Twitter; @joshua_c_hall
Paul Feig is mad as hell, and he’s not going to take it anymore. Ever since it was announced Feig is rebooting Ghostbusters with an all-female cast, the internet has decidedly split between supporters and the more vocal detractors of the project. With every hint and look at the new cast, new tech, and new props, vitriol spews from angry fanboys hiding online.
Well, it seems that Feig is no longer sitting back and taking it quietly, as evidenced by his extended Twitter rant and numerous shots fired back at the hateful comments regarding this new Ghostbusters. Check these out:
I read all your tweets & love them. Thanks for the continuing support. I just suddenly hit the wall with the haters. https://t.co/sWAQkbBt6O
These are only a few highlights from Feig, who clearly wants haters to stick it up their collective asses and wait for the film to hit theaters. I am firmly in Paul Feig’s corner here; criticizing a female Ghostbusters reboot before it’s even close to completion is veiled sexism of the highest order. And frankly, I don’t understand the issue here.
Don’t worry fanboys, anew version of Ghostbusters isn’t going to erase the original from existence. Shut up, let the film happen, and you just might be pleasantly surprised.
Back on April 29, 2014 the cast of Star Wars: The Force Awakens was announced.
The Star Wars team is thrilled to announce the cast of Star Wars: Episode VII.
Actors John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson, and Max von Sydow will join the original stars of the saga, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew, and Kenny Baker in the new film.
Lucasfilm has established every new character in the film except for the one played by Max von Sydow… until today.
SPOILERS AHEAD THERE IS
Making Star Wars is reporting that Max von Sydow plays a character named Lor San Tekka, a man in possession of information vital to the quest of finding the elusive Luke Skywalker. As an elder of a village on Jakku, Lor San Tekka is sought out by the heroic pilot Poe Dameron to find the missing Jedi’s whereabouts.
MORE SPOILERS AHEAD THERE IS
After some heavy research and piecing together official announcements and rumors surrounding Star Wars: The Force Awakens, the main theory floating around the internet is: After Princess Leia finds out that her thought to be dead son has joined the Dark Side she sends Poe Dameron to find Luke Skywalker as he appears to be the only capable of dealing with that type of threat. Poe first looks for Lor San Tekka who has Luke’s lightsaber and the weapon apparently has the coordinates of Luke’s location.
Star Wars: The Force Awakens comes out in a mere 84 days, only time will tell what theories and or rumors were correct.
Alright, now that we had a break from allthesegenericshows, it’s time to get back into the thick of it! This time with the action, romance, ecchi, military, harem show Taimadou Gakuen 35 Shiken Shoutai , or Antimagic Academy “The 35th Test Platoon.” Let’s just get this over with.
Synopsis: “The 35th Test Platoon of Antimagic academy, they’re one of squads enrolled at academy specializing in raising the witch hunters, whose job is to find, neutralize any magical threats! Unfortunately they’re a group of failures nicknamed “Small Fry Platoon,” a platoon formed from bunch of self-centered people who can’t cooperate and have personality problems. Will they manage to overcome their weaknesses and shine as the strongest platoon?” (Source)
Lagunitas “Sucks” is a misleading name for a beer especially when it tastes as good as this brew. This “un-Limited” release was apparently brewed during a low point of the Lagunitas Brewing Companies existence. This “Brown Shugga Substitute Ale” was made when the company was unable to craft their signature Brown Shugga Ale. They titled the beer “Sucks” due to their inability to produce their signature blend around the holiday season but rest assured, this beer most certainly does not suck.
It also should be noted that I decided to review Lagunitas due to my unfamiliarity with the Brewing Company upon hearing that they were recently purchased by Heineken.
Taste
A sweet and creamy mixture of Barley, Rye, Wheat and Oats that may be a little too much for some who don’t have as much a penchant for sweeter beers. There is not much of a strong residual flavor which may be what you are looking for if you enjoy drinking a variety of beers.
Body
For a beer that is 8% ABV you would hardly notice by the light body. The aroma is very sweet and each gulp seems to have a bit of a dry finish. Makes for a very good beer to enjoy with dinner.
Price
The price ran a little steep — $15 for a 6 pack — but then again I have drank them slowly over the course of a week. If you are looking for a good beer to bring to a party you can certainly get more bang for your buck, but if you want something delicious to keep on ice you shouldn’t let the price scare you.
Presentation
This is an example of branding successfully getting a consumer to purchase the product. The second I saw the splattered tomato on the bottle and read the name I knew I had to try it and I am very glad that I did.
Lagunitas “Sucks” Final Sip
It doesn’t! It definitely does not suck. A great beer to enjoy when you get off of work or just having a nice beer with dinner.
Hugh Jackman was out promoting his role of Blackbeard in Pan and while he was talking with MTV International the question came up about who should replace him as the next Wolverine.
Jackman mentioned Tom Hardy and thinks he would do a great job in the role, but he doesn’t want to make it too easy for the studio to replace him.
Pan will be in theaters on October 16.
Old Man Logan (unofficial) looks like a 2017 release.
It is always interesting to see what’s trending on Twitter in the morning. To my surprise “Good Burger” was on the list as Jimmy Fallon got that gang back together for a skit on The Tonight Show.
Kel Mitchell brought back Ed and Kenan Thompson couldn’t keep it together as construction worker Lester Oaks.
“Welcome to Good Burger, home of the Good Burger. Can I take your order?”
It will be interesting to see if the Kenan & Kel duo get back together. There hasn’t been much contact between them in about ten years, but maybe The Tonight Show provided a venue to test the waters. Mitchell is working the new Nickelodeon series Game Shakers and Thompson is filming the comedy Brother in Laws.
