If you don’t live in 2099 anymore, it’s hard to put that in the title.
Marvel Comics Friday released a preview of SPIDER-MAN 2099 #1 written by Peter David with art by Will Slinely. The first issue will be in your local comic book store on October 14.
This October, Miguel O’Hara is recharged, refueled and ready for action with a brand-new ongoing series for an All-New, All-Different Marvel Universe! Today, Marvel is pleased to present your first look at SPIDER-MAN 2099 #1, the new series from webslinging wonders Peter David and Will Sliney! Eight months have passed since the end of Secret Wars. With a steady job at Parker Industries, a stable relationship, and a life in the present day – Spider-Man 2099 is no more! That’s right, Miguel O’Hara has hung up the webs. But when a dangerous new threat appears and puts his new life in jeopardy, he’s got no choice but to suit up once more. Donning some new threads and a new attitude, prepare for a wallcrawler unlike any you’ve seen before when SPIDER-MAN 2099 #1 swings into comic shops this October!
Booster Gold and Blue Beetle appear to be headed to the big screen, as Tracking Board is reporting Greg Berlanti, the producer behind Arrow, The Flash, and Legends of Tomorrow is set to direct and executive produce the film. The online publication is also reporting that Sarah Schechter will also executive produce, while Julia Spiro will oversee for the studio.
As this news broke, Heroic Hollywood is reporting that Zak Penn is on the short list for screen play duties.
The feeling now is the film will be a buddy cop comedy that departs from the dark tones of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.
Booster Gold is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Dan Jurgens, the character first appeared in Booster Gold #1 (February 1986) and has been a member of the Justice League. The character is initially depicted as a glory-seeking showboat from the future, using knowledge of historical events and futuristic technology to stage high-publicity heroics. Booster develops over the course of his publication history and through personal tragedies to become a true hero weighed down by the reputation he created for himself.
The replacement Blue Beetle created by Charlton Comics, and later published by Americomics and DC Comics, is Ted Kord, a former student of Dan Garrett, a genius-level inventor and a gifted athlete. Kord and Garrett were investigating Kord’s Uncle Jarvis when they learned Jarvis was working to create an army of androids to take over Earth. Garrett changed into Blue Beetle, but was killed in battle. As he died, he passed on to Kord the responsibility of being Blue Beetle, but was unable to pass on the mystical scarab. Without Garret’s superpowers, Kord uses his many inventions to carry on the Blue Beetle name and fight crime.
Until we can get a second source, this story is considered a rumor.
A relatively new website PeelTheOrange.net is reporting that an unnamed source “close” to the situation has informed us that for the Marvel Netflix Phase 2 shows, they’re going dark – very dark. The source says that in 2018/2019, you can expect the following shows for Netflix:
2018: Moon Knight with Bushman as the main villain
2018: The Punisher with JIGSAW as the main villain
2019: Deathlok with Fixer as the main villain
2019: Spider-Woman with Madame HYDRA as the main villain
Since none of the bigger pop culture websites have pick up this story it is safe to say that this is more of an educated guess than a report. Punisher is already in Daredevil and it wouldn’t be a huge leap of faith to think that Netflix would give him his own series. I don’t know how big the group is, but there is a loud group of fans that want Moon Knight brought to life. Deathlok might be a stretch and Spider-Woman is definitely an interesting concept.
The report also mentions that the shows would be darker. Daredevil was pretty dark to begin with, but is this in response to the darker DC Cinematic Universe.
What Marvel character do you want to see brought to the small screen? Our vote would be for a Richard Rider – Nova Corps series in the vain of Star Trek.
Everest is the Hooters of September. The visuals are absolutely spectacular (sometimes even breathtaking), but the substance is shallow and void of any depth. I understand this will come across harshly to those of who haven’t seen it, but remember, looking good can only get you so far, especially when you are a feature-length film.
The story centers around the events of May,1996, when eight climbers died on Mount Everest: three on the north face, under conditions very foreign to the outside world, and five others on the south side. One of the best-known accounts of the 1996 disaster is Jon Krakauer’s Into Thin Air. It’s important to note this film is not entirely based on the accounts from Krakauer’s book, but on tapes and eyewitness accounts of that day as well. Krakauer emerges in this story as merely a supporting character, played by Michael Kelly.
In a decision that will be forever questioned, screenwriters William Nicholson and Simon Beaufoy focus the narrative through the eyes of Rob Hall (Jason Clarke). Hall is the expedition leader and owner of a company, Adventure Consultants, who was one of the first expedition outfits to turn climbing Everest into a financial gold mine. For $65,000 dollars you too can have the experience of lifetime as you push yourself up inhuman heights in pursuit of glory.
On this expedition we have a Texan in a Dole/Kemp t-shirt named Beck Weathers (Josh Brolin), a Seattle mail carrier Doug Hansen (John Hawkes), John Krakauer (Micheal Kelly), and from Japan, Yasuko Namba (Naoko Mori), who’s already claimed six of seven Everest summits. Jake Gyllenhaal plays the role of another climbing company leader, Scott Fischer of Mountain Madness. This is an odd choice, taking the best actor in the film and relegating him to a supporting role. Gyllenhaal would have been more suited for the role of Rob Hall than Jason Clarke. Rob Hall is the focal point of a film that is focused on a hellacious event that I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy. It requires an actor with the appropriate range to express the hell that they are experiencing up on that mountain. To be blunt, Jason Clarke doesn’t have the chops to pull of that type of performance. What we get from Clarke is a bouillabaisse of melodramatic nonsense.
While hiking up Everest, the group is consistently receiving weather alerts from expedition coordinator Wilton (Emily Watson). Once the group gets to 26,000 feet they enter a “death zone,” conditions best described as “hell on earth.” And that’s on a good day. A freak storm suddenly enters the area and we are kindly reminded once again Everest’s ability to kill. As Krakauer stated “It’s the mountain that has the last word… always.”
Everest has some of the best cinematography that I’ve ever seen in a film – period. Shot in the Italian Alps, the use of Imax cameras truly leave the audience gasping for air as we accompany the characters on their journey. Dario Marianelli, who composed the score, did a wonderful job of accompanying the seminal moments in Everest with the appropriate tones from upbeat to somber and mournful.
My biggest issue with Everest is the lack of characterization in this film. We don’t learn nearly enough about the members of this expedition to develop any sort of attachment. We know who they are, but we certainly don’t what they are. At one point, I thought we were headed in the right direction when it’s revealed that Hall’s wife (Kiera Knightly) is pregnant and that Weather’s spouse (Robin Wright) is at home. Even when they attempt to develop empathy through the story line involving Hall’s wife, they were so blunt and matter of fact about the whole thing it was as if it didn’t truly matter to either of them. Umm … you’re trapped on a mountain… your wife is pregnant with your child… don’t you think we should just explore that treasure trove of emotional weight a bit? I feel weird saying this, but it felt as if the mountaineers were barely acknowledged during the course of this picture. A film about climbing Everest and the climbers are barely mentioned. Sounds like a great idea to me.
It’s practically impossible to have a movie based on one of the worst disasters in the history of Everest anchored by thinly developed characters. Between the lack of characterization and the catastrophic casting mistake, Everest turns from being a great film to just being an ordinary film.
Even as we count the days towards the release of Star Wars:Episode VII- The Force Awakens, we are already receiving word about Star Wars: Episode VIII. Filming began this week for episode eight on Skellig Micheal (an Island near Portmagee which is in Ireland) and some major stars arrived for filming. Daisy Ridley (Rey) was seen arriving for filming via helicopter this week and also Mark Hamill was on set for the week long shoot. This confirms that they will be playing key roles in the next installment but to what degree, we just don’t know.
Compared to the previous episode, which featured gem mutants chasing people down in a hospital, this episode is surprisingly low key. It just involves Steven helping Sadie get ready for a talent show. No monsters, no magic powers, and none of the Crystal gems show up at all. Instead, it focuses on another supporting character having a moment with a parent.
The episode showcases how Sadie’s mom, Barabara the mail carrier, is overzealous when it comes to her daughter. Sadie, who is a bit of an introvert, wants to try new things but at her pace. Instead once she shows any kind of interest in something her mom is there to support her and push her into it to the point Sadie gets overwhelmed. The episode serves to say, sometimes people have the best intentions, especially with their kids, but can almost be smothering when they offer too much support and its perfectly okay to tell them to back off and give you some air so you can approach obstacles at your own pace. You just have to find a way to reach them.
Also, Steven puts on a dress and sings his heart out to save Sadie when it’s clear she won’t be able to sing on stage. Showing once again that Steven is willing to go the distance and do whatever it takes to help out his friends. Of course this is no different from any other episode when he’s willing to throw himself into battle to protect others.
Again a very low key episode, but fans of Sadie might find some joy in it.
Although still a newbie, most people on this site will recognize me for my articles on the horror genre. I love watching horror films and I enjoy sharing my views on them just as much. The dark and sinister things that scare most folks out there thrill me (with the exception of most torture porn). But today I would like to talk about an upcoming film from director Tom Hooper, The Danish Girl, which chronicles the trans woman’s journey to “self.”
This film stars Academy Award Winner Eddie Redmayne and Alicia Vikander. It is the story of the artist and illustrator Gerda Wegener (Vikander) and her husband, Einar Wegener (Redmayne). Lili Elbe, formally Einar Wegener, transitioned from male to female and is one of the frist known recipients of gender reassignment surgery in the world.
Painting of Lili Elbe
In the 1920s, Gerda Wegener asked her husband to stand in for a female model in a portrait. The initial portraits were well-received, which led to her making additional ones of her husband as a woman. The act of sitting for his wife as a woman awakened a desire within him. He realized that he enjoyed his “self” as a woman. He liked the way he looked and felt.
His female self, Lili Elbe, he soon discovers, is the real Einar and he transitions into living as a woman. This discovery will lead Lili to become the first ever recipient of sex/gender reassignment surgery. Gerda supports his decision, but it undoubtedly puts a strain on their marriage ending with her coming to the realization that Einar is no more. Lili’s childhood friend, Hans Axgil, portrayed by Matthias Schoenaerts, is also an integral part of the story as he causes a multifaceted love triangle with the couple.
I am quite excited for the arrival of this film. In our ever-changing world it’s great to see someone tackling this subject, transitioning/transgender issues, with care and sensitivity. We as a society often make fun of that which we do not understand and that which makes us uncomfortable. This films endeavors to tell a poignant narrative about the difficult evolution of one trans woman as she navigates her own self-discovery and realization.
Eddie Redmayne / Lille Elbe
This film comes at a time when new champions of gender equality/gender identity/trans advocacy are making extraordinary strides in the fight for acceptance and equality. With advocates like Janet Mock, Thomas Beatie (the pregnant man), Candis Cayne, Kim Coco Iwamoto, Chaz Bono, Laverne Cox (Orange is the New Black), and, most recently, Olympic Champion Caitlyn Jenner coming out as trans gives me hope the world is moving towards a place of “live and let live” and acceptance. A few years ago this kind of film dealing with this subject matter, with this type of star power would not have been a possibility. It is a welcome change.
Jeffrey Tambor and co
Also notable is to watch in the transverse is the Amazon Studios original series Transparent starring Jeffrey Tambor as the patriarch of a LA family who finally comes out to his three daughters as transgender. ABC Family is attempting to contact this subject with their new reality TV show Becoming Us, which revolves around a Midwestern teenage boy, Ben, who is coming to grips, not only with his parent divorce, but with his father transitioning into a woman, Carly. Did I mention that this teenage boy also has a girlfriend whose father is transgender? It will be interesting to see how things turn out.
It is refreshing to see the entertainment media tackling meatier subjects.
There’s a strange trend in anime recently. Light Novel adaptations have begun lengthening their titles to absurd amounts. With anime like Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon, which is not about picking up girls in dungeons, actually the main character get’s ‘picked up’, and Shimoneta: A Boring World Where the Concept of Dirty Jokes Doesn’t Exist, which is not about a world where the concept of dirty jokes don’t exist, they do exist, but they’re also illegal. Adding to-and possibly surpassing-this trend is the upcoming Comedy, Ecchi, romance, harem, school, Light Novel adaptation called Ore ga Ojou-sama Gakkou ni “Shomin Sample” Toshite Gets-Sareta Ken, translated to, “Story in Which I Was Kidnapped by a Young Lady’s School to be a ‘Sample of the Common People'” and often shortened to “Shomin Sample.” Don’t worry, it gets stranger from here.
The Synopsis reads: “In a hidden school surrounded by mountains, young ladies of good families are taught everything a high class lady needs to know. They are also completely cut off from the outside world, keeping them sheltered and innocent. However, a problem has come up recently—more and more graduates are failing to cope with the modern world after graduation. To deal with this problem, they’ve decided to kidnap a male commoner student, and enroll him as a student. They hope that this will be a gentle way to introduce the girls to the outside world. Kagurazaka Kimito is chosen for this dubious honor, mostly because he seems utterly average. However, the school leaders also seem to have concluded he’s a homosexual with a muscle fetish. When Kimito hears that the alternative may be castration (to protect the girls’ purity), he eagerly plays along with this misconception. Now he’ll just have to survive the attention of many high class young ladies that are completely out of touch with the world!” (Source)
After reading the synopsis and watching the trailer I have this strong sense of… familiarity, almost. I swear I’ve seen this before. I’ve seen these characters before, I’ve seen this setting before, I’ve seen this plot before, I’ve certainly seen these genres together.
But I haven’t read the source material, I haven’t read the Manga adaptation, I obviously haven’t seen the show, but writing this article felt like such a deja vu trip.
Oh boy! This image really instills confidence in the quality of this show!
Look, let’s get real for a moment. I have tried to stay optimistic about the shows that I’ve covered. I try to make things sound like they have the possibility of being a good show. This show, Shomin Sample, will not, and has no ambition to be, a good show. The name doesn’t suggest that, the synopsis doesn’t suggest that, the staff doesn’t suggest that. Every anime season needs an Ecchi Harem trash, looks like Shomin Sample is ours. But what really irks me about this show, is that not only will it be a trashy show, it’ll be a forgettable, generic, trashy show. This show, is more average than its main character, and that is not a compliment.
Ore ga Ojou-Sama Gakkou ni “Shomin Sample” Toshite Gets-Sareta Ken will begin airing October 7th, 2015, for the 2015 Fall season.
20,000 Leagues Under The Sea appears to be director Bryan Singer’s next project, as he announced that the script is finished and ready to go.
“It’s my 50th birthday (ouch), and I just put the finishing touches on the script for my next film. A story I’ve wanted to retell since childhood. I promise this will be an epic and emotional adventure for all ages! An adventure very dear to my heart. Not abandoning the #xmen universe. Very excited about #xmenapocalypse and beyond. #julesverne #20000leaguesunderthesea #nemo,” said Singer On Instagram.
BBC America released an image and a synopsis for the 2-part Luther Special Thursday afternoon.
“Luther’s back. Pitted against his most chilling adversary yet, haunted by the ghosts of his past and hell-bent on retribution, he’s drawn into a terrifyingly complex case that pushes him closer to the edge than he’s ever been.”
The Luther Special is written by Neil Cross and directed by Sam Miller. the The special stars Idris Elba, Rose Leslie, Laura Haddock, Darren Boyd, John Heffernan, and Patrick Malahide, with Michael Smiley and Dermot Crowley returning as Benny Silver and DSU Martin Schenk.
