So far, we’ve re-assembled The Avengers and we’ve re-cast Hulk. Here, I bring you the list of actors who would be interesting choices to play Hawkeye after Jeremy Renner (44) steps down.
In this case, I didn’t poll the community, so I’m curious to know what you think and what other names would you include in the list. Be sure to let me know in the comments below!
There’s also been a lot of buzz surrounding the fate of Hawkeye in the upcoming Marvel movies, but who’s to say that we couldn’t have a younger actor replace him like we’ve seen with X-Men? That would be a hard task, since we could start running out of actors who haven’t been in a Marvel or DC movie already.
Without further ado, here are my picks, in no particular order. It wasn’t easy!
Aaron Paul (35)
You know who he is, b*tch! At the very least it would be interesting to see his version of Hawkeye, especially in a crowded Avengers movies. He has some experience in action movies, having starred in the less-than-stellar Need for Speed, but more than that he has an edge to his acting.
Dan Stevens (32)
I’m not kidding, this man could do it. You may have seen him in The Guest (and if you haven’t, do yourself the favor). I know looks wise he might be a better fit for Captain America, but Chris Evans is too iconic in that role to be replaced (yet). I can imagine Stevens being an archer, and also delivering his Hawkeye lines with a deadpan. Sold.
Sam Huntington (33)
He has done some comic-related work, as well as comedy and drama. I first saw him in Detroit Rock City and thought he was the perfect balance between funny, awkward, inappropriate, and geeky. But his most notable role was werewolf Josh Levison in Being Human, on Syfy, which was a well received show.
He also might have played Jimmy Olsen in Superman Returns, but who remembers that?
Garrett Hedlund (30)
He’s got the looks and I think he’d be a good choice. He has done action work in Tron: Legacy and Eragon, and will soon be Hook in one of the new adaptations of Peter Pan’s story, Pan.
Dave Franco (30)
Why not? I think he can pull off the look, has done some physical roles, and the right director and writer could bring out his comedic side the way Hawkeye deserves to be represented.
Fatal Attraction birthed the “Yuppie Thriller” subgenre, to which this week’s The Gift would not have a place without its existence. Yuppie Thrillers are a fancy way of saying “Fatal Attraction ripoffs” with a little tact. These thrillers are thrillers of privileged people who’s past comes back to bite them in the ass, more or less. After Fatal Attraction came The Hand That Rocks the Cradle, Sleeping With The Enemy, Final Analysis, Single White Female… all with the agenda of putting wealthy white people at risk. The genre faded considerably in the mid-90s, as a slight recession hit America. Now, as the economy and the country appears to be rebounding in 2015, The Gift might be trying its hand at a Yuppie Thriller comeback.
But, again, without the plight of Dan Gallagher (Michael Douglas), The Gift may have never happened. Dan is a family man, a New York attorney with a doting wife (the great Anne Archer), a young daughter, and a tolerant pooch. But early in the picture, Dan shows signs of fatigue with his life, however perfect it may seem. This coincides with the arrival of Alex Forrest (Glenn Close, Oscar nominated but criminally not Oscar winning for her role), a consultant who pops up at his firm and seduces him into a weekend tryst while Dan’s wife and daughter are out of town exploring real estate options.
The sexual adventure is searing and effectively passionate, directed by the master of sultry sex scenes, Adrian Lyne (who typically allowed his actors to have a few drinks before filming these uncomfortable moments). These scenes manage to draw in the audience while simultaneously repelling them from Dan’s poor decision. To say that his decision was poor would soon become an understatement, as Alex’s mental instability begins shining through almost immediately. Soon, Dan is a prisoner to Alex’s psychotic meltdown.
Alex’s instability beging shining through her exotic beauty almost immediately, as the weekend comes to an end and Dan attempts to simply set her aside and return to his ideal life. Alex will not have this, and her mentality fractures with every passing scene. Lyne and the makeup crew do an interesting thing with Close, starting her off as bright and inviting; as her breakdown intensifies, her eyes darken considerably, her look near the end a page shadow of her earlier moments. Close’s performance is threateningly intense, and the screenplay from James Dearden puts the audience on the razor’s edge of alliances. While we are shocked by the imposing psychotic meltdown, we somehow empathize with Alex as Dan is truly the one at fault.
And speaking of Dan, he goes through his own dark transformation as Alex creeps too close to his home life to be ignored. After all, she won’t be ignored, remember? Much like the makeup work done with Close, Douglas’s attire darkens as he falls deeper and deeper into despair. Consider the moment he must tell Beth (Anne Archer) about the affair: Dan is in black clothes from head to toe. The costume and makeup departments on Fatal Attraction work subtle magic throughout, al the way to the end when we see Alex in a white dress, juxtaposing her demeanor just as her breakdown has crescendoed.
There is an issue with Fatal Attraction: it’s ending. The climax of the theatrical version, when Alex pops out of the tub after seemingly being drowned by Dan, has too much of a monster-movie feel. It steals from the intensity in lieu of a jump scare. An alternate ending, featuring Alex committing suicide and Dan being framed for the murder, was shot down by audience reaction, and this more crowd-pleasing climax was put in its place. Perhaps its my dark side, but I prefer the original ending.
Fatal Attraction was a cultural and cinematic watershed moment, deconstructing the now-antiquated practice of businessmen farming affairs while their wives stayed at home. It broke down barriers for the woman scorned, and for a while made men think twice about having a weekend tryst. The Yuppie thriller imitations have never matched the intensity of Adrian Lyne’s film, though many have tried. Judging by the early reviews for Joel Egerton’s The Gift, it may ultimately reinvigorate the subgenre.
The Martian is still a few months away, but the ad campaign is starting to ramp up. Earlier in the summer we got the one-two punch of promo video and trailer for The Martian; now we get a second promo video, introducing us to the entire crew of the Ares undergoing psychiatric evaluation. What is so wonderful about this promo video is the humor, which was a major player in Andy Weir’s novel.
Here is the new promo video:
Mark Watney’s trouble understanding Aquaman’s ability to control whales is a throwaway line from the novel, and played here it is absolute perfection. The rest of the Ares crew in The Martian includes Michael Peña, Kate Mara, Jessica Chastain, Sebastian Stan, and Aksel Hennie.
During a manned mission to Mars, Astronaut Mark Watney (Matt Damon) is presumed dead after a fierce storm and left behind by his crew. But Watney has survived and finds himself stranded and alone on the hostile planet. With only meager supplies, he must draw upon his ingenuity, wit and spirit to subsist and find a way to signal to Earth that he is alive. Millions of miles away, NASA and a team of international scientists work tirelessly to bring “the Martian” home, while his crewmates concurrently plot a daring, if not impossible rescue mission. As these stories of incredible bravery unfold, the world comes together to root for Watney’s safe return. Based on a best-selling novel, and helmed by master director Ridley Scott, THE MARTIAN features a star studded cast that includes Jessica Chastain, Kristen Wiig, Kate Mara, Michael Pena, Jeff Daniels, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Donald Glover.
A report came out yesterday that Tom Holland has finished his scenes in Captain America: Civil War, according to Birth.Death.Movies. The report continues to say that while Holland may be done filming, the special effects crew is working hard creating Spider-Man’s first fight in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
“His fight scene might be the one that really gets fandom excited – not because of how top tier the face-off will be, but because of how profoundly dorky and unlike any other big screen superhero fight it will be,” said sources at Birth.Death.Movies.
Captain America: Civil War will be in theaters on May 6, 2016.
Ronda Rousey is set to make a big leap in her acting career. Variety is reporting that Paramount Pictures has secured the rights to Rousey’s bestselling autobiography “My Fight Your Fight” with Rousey playing herself. Mark Bomback is adapting the book while Mary Parent is producing the picture along with Rousey. No date has been set yet on when the production will commence.
Arguably the most popular athlete in the country currently, Ronda Rousey is dominating everything. From throwing some verbal jabs at noted wife-abusing douchebag Floyd Mayweather at this summer’s ESPY’s, to popping up as the object of Turtle’s desire in the Entourage film, to this weekend knocking out Bethe Correia in 34 seconds, Rousey is dominating the pop culture landscape. It seems a perfect time to move into biopic territory, the iron may never be this hot again.
Welcome to Anime 101! I’m sure there are many new or casual Anime fans wondering, “What anime should I be watching?” In this lesson, there are 5 classic anime you should watch. Since these are well-known by vets of the art form, watching them will help you understand what those fans grew up watching, and subsequently give you more to talk about with them.
Anime 101 Criteria
Anime recommended in Anime 101 lessons will be:
Available to stream legally, making them easy to access.
Either be classics well-known by veteran anime fans, or recent shows that are popular.
1-2 seasons long, of not more than 26 episodes per season (or, alternatively, a movie)
Do you have ideas for future Anime 101 lessons? Let me know!
Lupin III: The Castle of Cagliostro
Where to stream it:Hulu (dubbed) Director: Hayao Miyazaki (Princess Mononoke, Howl’s Moving Castle, Spirited away – you know the deal, just about every Studio Ghibli movie) Animation Production: Not listed; this movie was made before Studio Ghibli existed. Vintage: 1979 (not dubbed until 1991) Rating: G
After Arsène Lupin III successfully robs a casino along with his partner, Jigen, he finds that all of the money is counterfeit. He decides to track down the producer of these “Goat Bills” and steal every other treasure in the Castle of Cagliostro once he does so. This includes the resident damsel in distress, Clarisse.
The Castle of Cagliostro is the first movie that Hayao Miyazaki directed. Although it is not as smooth and pretty as many of his other works, it still has that same attention to detail and unexpected camera angles that Miyazaki is famous for. It is the most “friendly” of the Lupin III properties because Miyazaki made alterations to the characters. Usually, the characters are portrayed as much more dark and villainous. Because of this, the movie was criticized by fans when it released, but it gained popularity each time it was re-released. It has influenced scenes in movies such as The Great Mouse Detective, Atlantis: The Lost Empire, and The Simpsons Movie.
Although this film isn’t true to its source material, it is still a great heist flick, which is a genre not particularly plentiful in anime. It’s also a decent family film so you can watch it with your kids (provided you’re alright with gunfights – but there isn’t any gore). Plus, it gives you another Miyazaki film under your belt. There aren’t many available to stream, so you have to take the greatness where you can get it.
Ghost in the Shell
Where to stream it:Hulu (dubbed) Director: Mamoro Oshii (Patlabor: The Movie, Urusai Yatsura) Animation Production: Production I.G (Attack on Titan, Kuroko’s Basketball) Vintage: 1995 Rated: NR (Mature Audiences Only, for nudity, gore, language)
The story takes place on a futuristic, cyberpunk earth. Technology is highly advanced and many people are cybernetically enhanced – some even to the point of having only their organic brain left. Such a cybernetic body is called a “shell”. Enter Major Makoto Kusanagi, a cyborg who works for Public Security Section 9. She and her team are attempting to track down a hacker known as “The Puppetmaster”, who has been illegally hacking into and erasing peoples’ memories (“ghost-hacking”).
This movie was animated with what was, at the time, cutting edge digital technology. It does slip into a very-blatant CG mode every so often, but since it’s usually through terminals it isn’t so bad. The rest of it is clean, detailed, and easy on the eyes. The music fits with the tone of the movie perfectly, though perhaps it isn’t the best choice for your everyday playlist. The movie explores some complex themes, such as sexuality and gender identity, which come into play because fully cybernetic bodies cannot reproduce.
Ghost in the Shell has heavily influenced movies such as The Matrix and A.I. Artificial Intelligence. There are even some similarities in Avatar. It is usually found in “top anime movies of all time” lists, and sometimes even “top animated movies of all time” lists. The movie is hard-core science fiction with a lot of technology to wrap your head around, which can be difficult for some to get through. It’s worth the watch, however!
FLCL
Where to stream it:FUNimation (dubbed or subbed), Hulu (dubbed or subbed) Director: Kazuya Tsurmaki (Evangelion 1.0, 2.0, and 3.0, Neon Genesis Evangelion: The End of Evangelion) Animation Production: GAINAX (Gurren Lagann, Neon Genesis Evangelion), Production I.G (Attack on Titan, Kuroko’s Basketball) AKA:Fooly Cooly or Furi Kuri Vintage: 2000-2001
Naota is an elementary school student determined to be mature and act like an adult. Then Haruko, an alien woman on a Vespa, runs him over and smashes his head with a bass guitar. Haruko decides his head is “the right sort of head” to make portals that pull robots from the nearby Medical Mechanica plant. She therefore moves into his house, upheaving his life.
This is the most recent of the classic anime in this lesson, and it is only 6 episodes long so it’s quick to get through. It can be a bit of a difficult watch just because it’s so crazy and the story needs to be pieced together like a puzzle. The soundtrack is amazing. A rock band called The Pillows did all the music for the series, and if you can get a hold of the OST, it is a great addition to your playlist. The animation isn’t great – it is wild and rough, and frequently changes style. However, it’s fun, which is what this show is all about, really.
It doesn’t surprise me to know that one of the key animators for FLCL worked on Kill la Kill as the animation director. The action animation is similar, and many people from GAINAX left to form Studio Trigger (which produced Kill la Kill). I’m willing to bet the rest of the animation staff between both shows is similar despite the studio change.
Most fans remember FLCL fondly, and it has been on American television as recently as 2014. It’s worth a watch even if you’re just interested in seeing where animators from Studio Trigger came from.
Cowboy Bebop
Where to stream it:FUNimation (dubbed or subbed), Hulu (dubbed or subbed) Director: Shinichiro Watanabe (Space Dandy, Samurai Champloo, Zankyō no Terror) Animation Production: Sunrise (Tiger & Bunny, Accel World, Mai-HiME) Vintage: 1998
Spike Spiegel, Faye Valentine, Edward Wong, and Ein the corgi are a team of bounty hunters – referred to as “cowboys” – aboard a spaceship called Bebop. The main storyline is about Spike and his rivalry with Vicious over a woman named Julia. However, the show can be considered fairly episodic and explores a large number of topics such as drugs, homosexuality, existential ennui, and loneliness while documenting the misadventures of the crew.
Many veteran fans will name Cowboy Bebop as their first anime. It did a lot better in the U.S. than it did initially in Japan, perhaps because of the heavy western and pulp fiction influences that many in Japan wouldn’t identify with. It is hard to place a genre on the series because it crosses so many (also including science fiction, comedy, film noir, detective capers, and more). The animation is consistent – not amazing, but decent enough.
Cowboy Bebop is frequently found in top anime lists, and sometimes even in top sci-fi tv show lists. The music, composed by Yoko Kanno and performed by The Seatbelts, ranges from wild and funky jazz to soulful blues, is often mentioned as a top anime OST. The series is often noted for its character development and backstory. It has gunfights, space battles, gambling, and hacking. And if you like the TV series Firefly at all, you should especially check out this show.
Akira
Where to stream it:FUNimation (dubbed or subbed) Director: Katsuhiro Otomo (also the creator of the Akira manga) Animation Production: Tokyo Movie Shinsha (various Lupin III and Detective Conan movies, among others) Vintage: 1988 Rating: R (language, gore, nudity)
Akira takes place in a post-WWIII, dystopian, cyberpunk Tokyo. It follows Tetsuo, a member of a gang led by his best friend, Kaneda. During a motorcycle chase with a rival gang, Tetsuo almost hits an esper released from a government laboratory by a guerrilla revolutionary group. When Tetsuo is taken into custody, it is found that he has psychic powers similar to those of Akira, the esper who destroyed Tokyo. Tetsuo is to be killed if his abilities go out of control.
Everything about this movie holds up today (except maybe the year in which it takes place, which is 2019). The story is gripping. The animation is fantastic and detailed. Not just backgrounds, either – character movement was meticulously animated. The music is unique and beautiful, and sometimes haunting. You will never see another movie like this one. I remember watching it as a teenager (my third anime, after Sailor Moon and Ranma 1/2) and being enthralled.
Akira consistently makes it into top science fiction movies lists, and if you ever see a top anime movie list that doesn’t have it listed, that source is bad and you might want to consider ditching it. It continues to influence works even today – one recent example is the movie Looper. It is also continuously referenced and spoofed (go ahead and watch the South Park episode about Cartman’s Trapper Keeper).
In short, if you are at all serious about watching influential classic anime, you need to watch Akira.
Honorable Mentions
Neon Genesis Evangelion: Unfortunately, this is not available to stream online at this time. But everyone knows about it, and many anime series spoof or reference it in some way, even in newer shows. If someone you know can lend you the original TV series, I highly recommend you take the plunge.
Ninja Scroll: I decided this was too graphically gross for a recommendation to new fans, but veteran fans do generally know about it. You can find it on Hulu (along with the worst synopsis ever) if you’re into gore and questionable sexual content.
“Entertainment Weekly” is reporting that Game of Thrones has just cast another big name veteran actor. Max Von Sydow has signed on to join the cast for season 6 that is already in production. The legendary actor, who rose to fame for his role in The Exorcist, is also set to be in Star Wars: The Force Awakens this fall.
Max Von Sydow will reportedly play the Three-Eyed Raven, the mystical tutor of Bran Stark, who was briefly seen in the season 4 finale.
X-Men: Apocalypse director Bryan Singer continues to teases his with Instagram photos while filming. The latest photo shows Alexandra Shipp (Storm) looking over Cairo in 1983. Singer is using Simulcam to watch the effects blend with the actors in realtime. This process was invented for Avatar.
Ancient mutant Apocalypse is unearthed after 5,000 years and recruits his four horsemen; Magneto (Michael Fassbender), Psylocke (Olivia Munn), Storm (Alexandra Shipp) and Angel (Ben Hardy). The Four Horsemen of Apocalypse try to reboot the world through destruction.
X-Men: Apocalypse is directed by Bryan Singer and stars Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, James McAvoy and Nicholas Hoult, Oscar Isaac (Apocalypse), Sophie Turner (Jean Grey), Tye Sheridan (Cyclops), Alexandra Shipp (Storm), Lana Condor (Jubilee), Olivia Munn, and Kodi Smit-McPhee.
The film is set in 1980s and we will see younger versions of previously-seen characters.
X-Men: Apocalypse opens in theaters on May 27, 2016.
Listen, I hate to be doing this so early, but you would have to say that Peter Sollett’s Freeheld can’t help but trigger Oscar discussions. As early as last October, I was on the airwaves in Dallas boldly proclaiming that Julianne Moore was going to take home the Oscar for Still Alice and if she hadn’t won last year she would almost be a lock to win this year. It will take a massive upset for her not to be nominated for Freeheld. If ever a movie was timely, and we all know how the Academy loves timely films, then this it.
Freeheld is based on a documentary that already has won an Oscar. It reveals the story of Laurel Hester, a New York cop diagnosed with lung cancer, who was trying to pass on her pension benefits to her female partner. Moore plays the lead role of Hester and Page is the younger woman who is facing an uncertain future. So Moore is dealing with a terminal illness, but she is also dealing a very timely cause in a film based on true events. I can actually see the Academy voters doing a happy dance in an anticipation of this picture. Just check out the trailer!
No, I’m not sobbing. I just have really bad allergies. I need to have a second. AGH! Okay!? I think that it’s safe to say that Freeheld will be a major factor during the awards season. I think it will be tough for Julianne Moore to win once again this year because the last time that was done was by Katherine Hepburn in 1967/68.
According to a report by Heroic Hollywood Michael Fassbender and James McAvoy have signed on for more X-Men films. The report doesn’t contain specifics about how many films, it does say that FOX is also trying to sign Nicholas Hoult and Jennifer Lawrence as well.
Lawrence did say that X-Men: Apocalypse would be her last film. Money does have a way of changing hearts.
Comic-Con – “X-Men: Apocalypse” Hall H Panel Highlights
Check out the X-Men: Apocalypse panel featuring Hugh Jackman, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, James McAvoy and Nicholas Hoult, Oscar Isaac (Apocalypse), Sophie Turner (Jean Grey), Tye Sheridan (Cyclops), Alexandra Shipp (Storm), Lana Condor (Jubilee), Olivia Munn, and Kodi Smit-McPhee.X-Men: Apocalypse opens in theaters on May 27, 2016.
