Last Week Tonight with John Oliver tries to tackle the scope of online harassment, revenge porn, and how the government is not prepared or educated to handle these type of crimes.
“The internet has through up a whole new way to wreck their (women) lives,” said John Oliver.
It’s never fair to judge a season of a television show based on the first episode. Maybe that’s a little more justifiable in throwaway, self-contained CBS dramas, but more complicated series attempting to tell a complete story over the span of several weeks deserve some time. It would be similar to making a judgment call on a film after seeing the first ten or fifteen minutes.
I say all that as a sort of therapeutic way to remain hopeful for this second season of True Detective. I don’t want to make any snap decisions, because the story could absolutely find a groove quickly and the mess that unfolded in episode one could become a distant memory. But as it stands season 2 is stumbling out of the gates, and that is putting things mildly.
The action in this year’s True Detective has, of course, left behind the philosophical darkness of Rust Cohle, the complicated family world of his partner, Marty, and the bizarre supernatural world of gothic Louisiana. We now find ourselves in Los Angeles and its industrial suburb, the fictional Vinci. Writer and show creator Nic Pizzolatto has created an entirely new cast of characters who appear to embody every cliched vice or disorder one could think up. We have drugs, alcohol, sex, greed, corruption, gambling addiction, and some PTSD thrown in for good measure. Again, disclaimer, this could all work down the road, but it certainly is a lot to digest and, more importantly, a lot to buy into for episode 1.
The story revolves around four characters, central of which in this first go round is Ray Velcoro, played by a brooding Colin Farrell. Ray is not only a corrupt alcoholic cop with family issues, he seems to be all of the familiar troubled police detectives from the last fifty years of narrative storytelling rolled into one full-throttle train wreck. The booze, the drugs (multiple kinds), the troubled family life involving a child that may actually be the child of a man who raped his wife twelve years ago, all set up a character whose tragic arc seems to have come and gone. We are most certainly near the end with Ray. Of all of his problems, perhaps what will become the biggest is his involvement with Frank Semyon.
Semyon, played by a buttoned-down, rather boring Vince Vaughn, is a criminal trying to make it in the legit world of city planning, and he has Ray under his thumb thanks to their checkered past together. Too bad his big rail system starts off on the wrong foot when the city planner vanishes, setting into motion the investigation that will propel the show. Before I get too far, let me just mention that the city planner who has disappeared is also an over-the-top kinky sex maniac living in an elaborate Playboy mansion spinoff full of dildos and penis statues. Yeah, that’s what we’re in for, apparently.
Taylor Kitsch is the third spoke in this wheel of chaos, Paul, a California Highway Patrol officer suffering from PTSD and just all sorts of emotional issues. Let’s just say he has problems and leave it at that, because we don’t have time to get into his cookie-cutter demons, and Kitsch is by far the least interesting casting decision. Let’s move on to maybe the most promising character, at least the most believably drawn out, and that is Rachel McAdams’ officer Ani Bezzerides. Ani has some sort of sexual issues, but she is at least interesting. That being said, her involvement with the story is the least believable, and it brings in (or forces in) her hippie commune dad (David Morse).
Things are shooting in every which direction in this first episode of the new True Detective. There are promising glimpses of what could be heading our way, but these characters have to start making me believe that they are real and not just part of a catch all cliche machine. Pizzolatto has left behind any sort of philosophical musings that made the first season so compelling, turned McConaughey’s Rust Cohle into an anti-hero for a new generation, and instead has aimed his sights at a more direct procedural, albeit with enough weirdness for five shows. Police procedural is perfectly fine as long as there are strong personalities audiences can either identify with, root for or against, or believe that they are actual human beings.
I have left so many things out that I didn’t buy, like Farrell’s Ray and just about everything he does in the entire episode. My hope is that Pizzolatto will tap the brakes on the hopeless void of characterization long enough to let us care about some of these people. As of right now, they all wear me out in their own way. Thankfully, Justin Lin’s direction kept the visual artistry pleasing; it helped to soften the blow.
The Flash season 2 is mostly shrouded in mystery, but at this point we do know a few things. The most recent Flash news was that Detective Joe West will be getting a new partner. Obviously, the flash fans who have been watching season 1, know why he is in need of a new partner for season 2. For anyone who has not seen the Flash season 1, there will be some spoilers ahead.
Please proceed with caution, and do not say you were not warned. Cineblend reports that the Flash season 2 will feature Patty Spivot as Detective, and Barry Allen love interest Iris West’s father, Joe West’s new partner. That was a mouthful. The Flash season 1 saw the death of Joe West’s first partner Eddie Thawne, the distant relative of Reverse-Flash Eobard Thawne. Eddie Thawne, after the flash disappointingly still could not beat Reverse-Flash, shot himself. This sacrifice ended the Thawne line, which ended the Eobard.
Comicbook points out that the flash’s newest addition to its season 2 characters is actually a Central City lab assistant and love interest of the Flash himself, Barry Allen, in the DC Comic books. As they say, plot thickens.
Monkey’s Fighting Robots reported earlier that the Flash season 2 would already be adding a new love interest for Barry Allen, and her name is Wendy. We know less about Wendy, but with Patty, Wendy, and Iris, Barry appears to have a full plate of soap opera-like drama to contend with in season 2. The Flash has yet to face this criticism, but its fellow DC Comics TV show Arrow had a similar complained lodged against it in season 1.
As the Inquisitr has pointed out, the Flash’s fans have Killer Frost, Vibe, the potential return of somebody playing Reverse, and many other treats in store for season 2. If season 2 can match season 1, and the weighty expectation fans have for it, it is safe to say that Flash will continue its comic book TV show dominance among its peers.
What are your thoughts? Have you been following the season 2 news?
Are your excited for the second season?
Leave your thoughts and opinions below.
[Image Via Creative Commons/CW Screenshot/DC Comics]
The Flash season 1 brought in many new DC Comics characters to the shared DC TV universe, one of which, was Robbie Amell as Firestorm. Firestorm actor Robbie Amell, cousin of Arrow star Stephen Amell, has not had the same amount of interview as his cousin. Robbie Amell will star as Firestorm in the Flash and Legends of Tomorrow, but it is not his own DC TV shows that he has opened about recently. Comicbook reports that Robbie Amell had a few things to say about the controversial Batman V. Superman.
“I’m very interested in Ben Affleck as Batman. I actually think he’s a great choice. I’m a little worried about a Batman versus Superman movie just because it’s… I just think it’s really tough to pull off. I’m very excited about seeing it, but I think it’s really tough to balance those two characters in the same movie. But I’m a huge Ben Affleck fan. I think he’s a great choice for Bruce Wayne. As long as he doesn’t have a Boston accent, I think he’s going to be awesome.”
Robbie Amell makes some interesting points, but many are still concerned about the casting. However, it is important to note that there was as much or more skepticism about Michael Keaton’s casting in Tim Burton’s Batman and Batman Returns. Robbie Amell has been a surprisingly supportive, not unlike Tim Burton, who saw what no one else could or would see in Keaton. As Variety points out, no one seemed to want Keaton in the role either, which was partially due to his comedic roles prior.
Robbie Amell’s Firestorm has been quite impressive so far, many would say, so perhaps his opinion has some weight over others. At the same, maybe it does not. The success of Ben Affleck, depsite Robbie Amell’s support, remains to be seen. Then again, could it be worse than Clooney or West (Sorry Mayor Adam Wee), probably not.
What are your thoughts? Is Robbie Amell correct about Ben Affleck landing the Dark Knight role, or will it tank like the Val Kilmer and George Clooney led films?
Leave your thoughts.
[Image Via Creative Commons]
Right now we are in the midst of the Summer movie bonanza. Week after Week we are being brought the latest and greatest blockbuster movie that most of the audience has been anticipating for literally months upon months. Jurassic World opened just last week to record 208.8 million dollars box office and this week stands to bring in upwards of 105 million dollars. Inside Out (the latest and greatest from Disney Pixar) stands to bring in 83 million dollars this weekend which will make it one of the highest gross opening weekends for a Pixar movie since Toy Story 3. When mass hysteria at the Box Office occurs we tend to forget movies that truly deserve our attention and one such film is Love and Mercy.
Love and Mercy tells the story of both a young and an older Brian Wilson (of Beach Boys fame) as he navigates his own demons. John Cusack and Paul Dano are sensational on the screen as they take the audience into some very dark places in their portrayal of Brian Wilson. Paul Giamatti and Elizabeth Banks round out the cast and turn equally brilliant performances as well. What kills me is that I can almost guarantee that most of the people reading that are turning to the nearest person and saying ” there is a movie called Love and Mercy?”
The biggest hurdle that this movie faces is n’t the quality of the movie but the quality of the distribution from Roadside Attractions. According to Box Office Mojo, Love and Mercy is currently in 792 theaters nationwide. Love and Mercy with that type of distribution can’t simply compete with the bigger movies (Jurassic World .. Inside Out.. etc) because those movies dominate most of the screens nationwide. With that being the case most audience members take the easy way out rather than seeking out a movie that by no fault of its own has been hard to find.
It is because of this that I have decided to dedicate my 1st article to implore all of you to seek out Love and Mercy. Just because something is necessarily hard to locate does n’t make it any less worth your time. Putting in the time to locate where this movie is showing will make it that much more satisfying when you are treated to what is one of the best movies of 2015.
Father’s Day is this weekend, and wouldn’t it be nice if your parents would be able to share your interest in anime, if not just a little. Charapedia thought it would be nice to consider family bonding, understanding and hobby sharing with a discussion of readers’ favorite anime that they would be comfortable with introducing to their parents. Responses to the 10,000 Reader Poll were from males 51.9% of the time, and 77.6% were from readers in their teens and 20’s.
General
20. Fate/series – 114 votes
19. Haikyū !! – 121 votes
18. Durarara!! – 127 votes
17. Sword Art Online – 132 votes
16. Steins;Gate – 140 votes
15. Fullmetal Alchemist – 143 votes
14. My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU – 153 votes
13. Hyouka – 159 votes
12. Tokyo Ghoul – 173 votes
11. Natsume’s Book of Friends – 187 votes
10. Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion – 209 votes
9. Kuroko’s Basketball – 213 votes
8. Psycho-Pass 221 votes
7. One Piece – 223 votes
6. Madoka Magica – 232 votes
5. Your Lie in April – 300 votes
4. Angel Beats! – 363 votes
3. Gintama – 405 votes
2. CLANNAD – 640 votes
1. Anohana – 750 votes
Men
10. Tokyo Ghoul – 114 votes
9. Gintama – 115 votes
8. My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU – 119 votes
7. Steins;Gate – 130 votes
6. Hyouka – 137 votes
5. Code Geass – 140 votes
4. Madoka Magica – 201 votes
3. Angel Beats! – 307 votes
2. Anohana – 317 votes
1. CLANNAD – 595 votes
Women
10. DRRR!! – 98 votes
9. Haikyū !! – 108 votes
8. FMA – 140 votes
7. Psycho-Pass – 151 votes
6. Natsume – 157 votes
5. One Piece – 163 votes
4. KuroBas – 200 votes
3. Your Lie in April – 203 votes
2. Gintama – 290 votes
1. AnoHana – 433 votes
So maybe this Father’s Day you can try to have some good family bonding time with your dad while sharing what you love. But just don’t forget to do something he loves as well.
As reported on previously by Scott Green on Crunchyroll.com
So were getting close to wrapping up on this first season, and honestly I thought this would only be one season. So fuck me because I don’t think I can take another season of this show. Sense8 is probably the most luke warm show that tries to be a thing that I’ve ever seen. I would compare it to Lost but considering I’ve never seen Lost I don’t think that’s quite fair. But I feel in the same rights as Lost, this show tries to follow the same tone and message. So get ready because Sense8 gets deep.
But first let me pat myself on the back for calling this out. Sun beat the crap out of some bitches who didn’t expect for their prey to be as weak as the usually like it. And to put a cherry on top Sun got in this fight mainly for helping someone who was too timid to help themselves. Seems like a good way to reincorporate whats going on between the sensates, right? Like I said Sense8 gets deep.
A lot did happen in episode eight but it’s so hard to point out what I think is important especially since there are so many characters and so many things going on. But other than Suns fight I think talking about how the plot is moving along is always an important part to hit. So lets hit it.
Now while the context of Sense8 gets deep, the story is gets real. What sort of real is kind of too early to say. But things are progressing nicely. Finally our big bad is showing up at least a few times in every episode. Our main characters are starting to learn more about him and what his motives may be. But still it seems like it’s just Nomi and Will that are having to deal with him. Well and also Riley but that stuff happens in episode nine. I mean you would think that a guy who can project his presence to any sensate would have people positioned where he can at least keep tabs on the cluster he’s going after. Although he might be and we just don’t know it yet. Which would be stupid to have a cheap card like that hidden this late in the game.
And lastly for episode eight Riley and Will make out, while feeling. Which seems a little weird to me, but whatever. 
Episode nine is where, I hate to repeat myself again but Sense8 gets deep. Deeper in fact compared to almost all other episodes. And this amount of deep I like. To start, the title of this episode is “death Doesn’t let you say Goodbye” so by that title you can guess that this episode will be about loss. But before I get into that part let’s get into all the foreshadowing in this episode. Because there is a lot.
It seems the person who casted Riley aside was just trying to protect her because she knew she is a sensate. Now by the way this lady talks it seems that this might be a hereditary thing, which could shed some light later but for now its just something to stick in our back pocket. So we also find out that she used to work for the guy after them, and gives her what little cryptic information that she can. I mean seriously when is someone going to be straight forward and seriously help before something bad happens? No wonder this previous cluster had so many problems, they’re all assholes. Anyway we also get a hint of bad blood when the woman talking to Riley warns her about Jonas. Now nowhere so far in the show has Jonas seemed like a bad guy so I’m forced to assume that this bitch is the bad one, and is just lying. But the show treats it like a big reveal which is making me worried. I don’t like change in character motive to be so out of the blue. I’d like at least some hints.
Lastly she sees that Riley and Will are starting to get affectionate with each other and strongly opposes people within the same cluster being intimate. Don’t really know why but it seems she might have been hurt by someone in her own cluster whom she thought she loved. Maybe the main bad guy, but that’s just speculation. But to counteract this ladies negativity is Jonas preaching on how he feels that loving another sensate is the purest form of love and lets you lay everything bare and be okay with that. Which is a cool concept, seeing people would never do it on their own, it’s a good way to sort of justify this evolutionary step in humanity. A way to clearly see why this change can be good for us. I like that, justifying things. Do more of that.
As for the deep stuff I’ve promised most of it is talked about between two groups. Riley and Capheus, and Nomi and Lito. Now I’m not gonna go into everything they talk about I’m just going to hit the main idea they are going for and how I feel they executed it. They talk a lot about loss and regret. Feelings that they were afraid to act on in the past and have been eating away at them ever since. This is interesting since the ever since their emergence as sensates they have been kind of reborn. So it plays with that logic that it may be time to let things go. Which is one new theme incorporating on one of the cornerstone themes, awesome! They also talk about how sometimes you have to fight for what you want to be in this world. The fact that you may want to be something different doesn’t really make you special or the people who disapprove of you not special. We’re all just people who have to try our best and be who we want to be. This overall is a good message and I think the way Nomi delivers it to Lito when he needs to hear it most, accompanied with her stellar delivery and painful flashback, make it a very emotional scene.
Sense8 may look from the outside to have the density of a collapsed star, but once you start digging, it gets really simple. And thats not a bad thing. I think at this point of the show the tone has been set and has fully strayed away for being preachy. Which is good considering the show is about being an individual. If they were trying to convert people to a way of thinking it would go against that principle. But thankfully it hasn’t gone back and doesn’t show any signs of doing so. So all-in-all the future is looking bright and I can’t wait to see what happens in the climax of this season.
With DC’s latest crossover event (Convergence) over, creators have used this opportunity to start fresh with some of its properties. There’s a feeling of a clean slate here, DC is more focused on character specific stories, rather than crafting a large universe with multiple crossover events that are just confusing. The new run, DC You, is crafting fun, exciting, and intriguing stories by going deeper with each character, and making them more appealing to a wider audience.
And it’s about damn time.
The New 52 had some fun and worthwhile stories, but there always was an excessive amount of editing that constrained the writers. It felt like DC was trying to recapture the success of Blackest Night, and Flashpoint, so there was more emphasis on building up to bigger event stories. Sometimes it worked like with Forever Evil and some times it didn’t like with Trinity War.
This new launch (as stated before) puts the focus back on the characters, and the writers aren’t so worried about connecting everything to a larger universe anymore. And it’s definitely a positive influence for the market: sales are higher, reviews are better, and customers are happier. Now there’s probably some big crossover event coming up, but now, we as readers can enjoy these comics without worrying about the larger connected universe.
A great example of this is JLA #1. The comic features the seven main Justice League members, but it doesn’t worry about the current continuity. It is completely self-contained and easy to hop into for newer and older fans. It’s nice to have a book that is independent of the main continuity, and fun to read. There’s no need to pick up any other books, because all you need to know is right in the comic. And this book is definitely worth picking up. It reads like an episode of the Justice League cartoon, but with bigger stakes.
There’s also an emphasis on re-imagining certain superheroes, and giving them their own books. For example, fan favorites like Starfire and Cyborg are finally headlining their own solo series. Rather than just give well-known superheroes a gender swap, or randomly reinvent them with no real purpose, or claim to shake up the status quo for shock value, DC is now focusing on characters that have had established fan bases and giving them the chance to shine to a hungry audience.
Characters like the aforementioned Starfire and Cyborg are known for having a huge fan base from the Teen Titans show. The two characters are now being crafted more like their TV counter parts than what they were like before hand. So, we will no longer have to endure the awful writing on Starfire Scott Lobdell gave us in Red Hood and the Outlaws. DC is going back to basics with these wonderful characters that we as an audience have asked to see for a while. The creators aren’t planning to create some strange new crossover event, they’re giving us character specific stories with their own problems and issues.
Not every comic has to build up to some Death of the Family level event. Instead we can see some of the characters that don’t get into the limelight very often. Starfire’s series just came out last week, and it’s already an improvement from when we saw her before. It’s a much more fun, and colorful series.
And it hasn’t been stopping there. Longtime Superman villain, Bizarro is in his own book. The dimwitted super villain is on a cross-country trip with Jimmy Olsen. It’s a hilarious comic that involves every mishap imaginable, and is very much written like a Tommy Boy esque buddy movie. Not every comic is a silly, fun series. Black Canary is also in her own book now, as the leader of a rock band that she constantly needs to defend with some awesome kung fu. And to go even further, the solemn Martian Manhunter is now headlining his own book that’s filled with an intricate intergalactic mystery that’s a real page turner.
The beauty of these books is that DC Comics is going back to the core of these characters. They aren’t worried about a larger universe, or shaking things up, or attracting a new market. They are letting these characters speak for themselves, and growing from that. This could lead a new age of fun comics that don’t need a gimmick, or a massive change to make themselves look better. They just need to go deeper with some of their properties and see how to evolve them.
Now, to be fair, its way too early to tell how this is going to play. It could fizzle out due to low sales, or poor reviews, or more editor meddling. But, now, it’s great to see DC comics have more fun, and exciting books to read. It’s a great new step for them to take, and it’s probably the best time for new readers to get into comics.
Constantine, the popular, blue collar mage, has been through many changes. He has been John Constantine: Hellblazer, a member of Justice League Dark, the solo Constantine, and now Constantine: The Hellblazer, according to a Monkeys Fighting Robots earlier report. Constantine, the Keanu Reeves outing and NBC’s Constantine, sadly showed that John is a hard man to reproduce. However, DC Comics promised that the new Constantine comic would be a return to his edgier, Hellblazer days. It even has Hellblazer in the title again.
So, how does Constantine: The Hellblazer measure to the over 300 comics about the DC / Vertigo Comics master(Petty Dabbler) of the dark arts? Read on to find out more, but proceed with caution. Heavy spoilers are ahead.
One thing that has been pointed out about the new Constantine comic, and debuted in one of the later volumes, was John Constantine’s sexual preference. Some will point out that Constantine: The Hellblazer has a subtle reference to it, such as the Geekiary, but this writer would argue otherwise. From the second page of the new Constantine comic until around page 4, it hits you like a ton of bisexual bricks.
To be fair, Constantine writer Ming Doyle is bisexual, and wanted to represent him as such. So, therefore, it was meant to be in your face. If this bothers you, or ruins your opinion of Constantine, move on. Though, by the end of Constantine: The Hellblazer, you will probably forget all about it.
Constantine’s smoking is moderate, but not non-existent like the first few episodes of the NBC series. However, his attire is one of the most striking, distinct differences. There is NO trench coat. This has been a concern when the first artwork dropped. There is an initial scene in the comic deals with this, but only briefly.
The artwork is…interesting. John Constantine looks like doe-eyed, British gent. Other characters and scenery look pretty sharp, like the former demon businesswoman. You’ll need to read it for more details. There will be no spoiling of the plot. There is also an interesting several circles of hell two-page layout of the demon’s business that certainly lends to Riley Rossmo’s style. This writer would not mind see more of that.
Another notable difference is John’s confidence. It is true that his magic is often solely referred to as his always thinking he has every situation under control, but in Constantine: The Hellblazer it is more than just bravado.
His Hellblazer ghosts following him around, and leaving him a stern warning that will carrying on into subsequent issue was a nice touch that all Hellblazer fans will appreciate.
So, should you read the new Constantine? Yes. There is not enough negative to merit abandoning it at this point.
[Image credit: DC Comics/Creative Commons]
AMC Friday afternoon, released a teaser for Fear The Walking Dead called Nick’s Escape.
Fear the Walking Dead will be set in Los Angeles and focused on new characters and storylines. The show’s first season will consist of six one-hour episodes and premiere on AMC in August. The show’s second season will air in 2016.
Robert Kirkman, Gale Anne Hurd, Greg Nicotero and David Alpert from “The Walking Dead” are executive producers of the new series, which, like the original, is being produced by AMC Studios. Dave Erickson (“Marco Polo,” “Sons of Anarchy”), who co-created and co-wrote the pilot with Kirkman, is an executive producer and showrunner. The series will star Cliff Curtis (“Missing,” “Gang Related”), Kim Dickens (Gone Girl, “Sons of Anarchy”), Frank Dillane (Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince) and Alycia Debnam Carey (Into the Storm).
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