This December, Marvel is uniting the original Defenders squad to save our solar system and because, you know, nostalgia!
That’s right, they’re back! The team of Doctor Strange, Silver Surfer, Namor and (Immortal) Hulk will once again come together to take on the forces of evil. Each character will get his own one-shot, which will ultimately bring them all together in a new series, Defenders: The Best Defense.
The premise for the team comes together in the synopsis for the first team issue, in that, it appears as if each member will take on its own villain unique to each character issue, while a mysterious cosmic entity, The Train, seems to be pulling the strings, “The Lost Atlanteans. The Train. The Bedsheet Man. Dead Steve. The Stock Exchange of Souls. Trust us, it all makes sense. In fact, it makes enough sense to destroy our entire solar system…unless four very different heroes can come together to stop it.”
Check out the full Marvel interview with the Defenders: The Best Defense creative team of Al Ewing and Joe Bennett, HERE, which also includes two exclusive first-looks at the series.
What do you think, are you excited the band is getting back together? Would you like to see this team take on the Avengers in yet another Civil War? How about a show featuring this team for the new Disney+? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
Star Wars is going strong at Disney. Apart from a few bumps in the road (Solo comes to mind), the franchise is getting ready for 2019’s Episode IX. However, there is one forgotten piece of the old canon that won’t be brought back.
This is, of course, the Star Wars Holiday Special.
After the release of A New Hope, George Lucas to expand the franchise even more, and television felt like an ideal choice. However, he would not be hands on with a CBS TV special, since Empire Strikes Back was in the works. The project would thus be left in other hands. Cue the Jaws theme in the background.
Chewbacca and Han are trying to make it home for the all-important Life Day. Back on the Wookie planet Kashyyk, Chewie’s family- father Itchy, wife Malla, and son Lumpy- are awaiting his return. The majority of these scenes are done in pantomime with no subtitles. In the words of writer Bruce Vilanch, the result feels ““like one long episode of Lassie”, and it really shows. The audience receives long sequences of Wookies growling and roaring. Not exactly subtle, right?
Aside from the domestic Wookie plot, the Empire is conducting a search for Rebel spies. All the while, the story jumps from one set piece to another in a disjointed manner. There are a few musical numbers, and some celebrities pop up every now and then. Art Carney plays a supporting role as a friendly trader, although he’s basically doing his Honeymooners shtick. Harvey Korman appears as a multi-limbed chef on an intergalactic cooking show. God knows what Bantha Surprise tastes like.
The Star Wars Holiday Special is unique in getting most of the film’s principal characters to appear. Reportedly, it took some doing to convince them to do the program. Mark Hamill is chipper and buoyant as Luke, but he seems to be wearing a heavy layer of pancake makeup. His struggle with R2D2 on fixing the X-Wing provides a small dose of comedy.
Harrison Ford returns as Han, but he almost seems sheepish at what he’s gotten himself into. During the intro, one can see Ford with an expression of disgust. Another memorable bit has him telling the Wookies they are like family to him. Whereas this could have been sappy, it comes off as unintentionally hilarious.
Carrie Fisher reprises her role as Leia. Towards the end, she even gets to sing an original song set to the tune of the Star Wars theme, intercut with Hamill and Ford looking chagrined. “She was going through her Joni Mitchell period,” Vilnach tells Vanity Fair. “And there was general dismay because this was not what we wanted Princess Leia to be doing.”
The combination of action/adventure with variety show humour is odd, to say the least. While it is amusing to see Jefferson Starship singing about UFOs, the mashing of genres does not work. Nor does the hologram of acrobatic display seem inspiring.
That is not to say it is all bad. We do get a glimpse of what everyday life is like under Imperial control in the Outer Rim Territories. Bea Arthur provides a welcome presence as the bartender in the Cantina sketch. When the Empire issues a curfew on the Mos Eisley establishment, Arthur sings “Goodnight But Not Goodbye” to convince the patrons to leave.
At the time, Arthur was the star of Maude and a frequent participant of variety specials. If anything, her cameo is entertaining to watch. We can even see the Cantina band playing in the background.
Perhaps the most hilarious moment comes when Grandpa Itchy watches a virtual hologram device. In his fantasy, he sees an alluring woman (Diahnann Caroll) who can “feel” her creation. “I’m getting your message,” she says. “Are you getting mine?”
We cut to Itchy shuddering and moaning in his chair. “Oh, we are excited, aren’t we?” the woman asks. “I’ll tell you a secret- I think you’re adorable,” which Itchy keeps rewinding and playing. Talk about getting crap past the radar.
Of all these moments, the special’s biggest moment is the animated Boba Fett segment. Nelvana would provide the animation for the cartoon. In this vignette, the Millennium Falcon crew land on a water planet and encounter a giant monster. After Han and Luke contract a mysterious virus, Chewie teams up with Boba Fett to find the cure.
To be fair, the animation feels rubbery, and Han even looks like Adam Driver. However, this marks the debut of everyone’s favourite bounty hunter to the Star Wars universe. In fact, the segment has seen release before- as a bonus feature on the 2011 Complete Saga Blu-Ray set.
Needless to say, George Lucas does not think too highly of the Holiday Special. He’s on record as infamously wishing he could destroy every copy in existence. The late Carrie Fisher once said she has a bootleg copy that she would play to drive away party guests who wouldn’t leave. In an infamous television interview, Conan O’Brien embarrasses Harrison Ford by playing a clip of Han’s interaction with the Wookies.
If there is any lesson to be learned, it is one should not let too many cooks in the kitchen. Or rather what works on film doesn’t necessarily work on television. Jon Favreau will no doubt do something different with his upcoming Star Wars series.
Fans can only wonder if we’ll ever see an official DVD release. Since Disney is preparing Episode IX and the TV series, it is unlikely they’ll give the Holiday Special any thought. However, it does exist thanks to bootleg versions and the Internet.
Regardless of its status, the Star Wars Holiday Special has its moments of camp and comedy. Sure, it might not be part of the new canon, but the redheaded stepchild of the universe is amusing to watch.
The Flash begins his Force Quest on the wrong foot
Central City has been a weird place after the Flash War. New forces have been appearing across the city causing trouble for the Scarlet Speedster. The first Force The Flash faced was the Strength Force. The incident leads to the supposed death of the Trickster. The Sage Force came next and latched onto Heatwave during Halloween. With the help of the leader of the Renegades, Commander Cold, The Flash is able to suppress the telekinetic force. Realizing that the forces are still out in the world, Barry realizes he needs to go on a Force Quest to find them. He won’t do it alone, however, as Iris demands to come along. Where will this quest take our favorite Central City couple?
**Some Spoilers Below**
Story:
Barry and Iris’ first stop on the Force Quest is the country of Badhnisia. They are tracking the energy of one of the forces as they come across a pair of thieves. The thieves, known as Gemini, do not see the speedster as a threat and proceed to overpower him. They can do this through the power of their tech which redistributes energy. The battle ends up destroying a church and the only lead the Flash had in tracking down the Forces.
This issue is one that will split readers down the middle. Not because it has controversial changes, but the content in it. The first third of this story is essentially a recap of the arcs after the Flash War. Looking at it from a new reader point of view, this would be a great thing. One of the biggest problems comics have faced is that it’s hard to jump on a series that’s going on. It gets harder and harder as the series continues. It’s always good to see clear jumping on points such as this one. A new reader can pick this one up and catch up to speed so they can stay with the regular readers.
That being said, this issue doesn’t provide anything particularly exciting for those regular readers. That recap has no real effect as it’s all inner monologue with a regular chase scene. It was kind of disappointing to get nothing new until the back half of the comic. It gets worse than you realize that, because of such a long recap, that new stuff is cut short quickly. Even the cover with Gorilla City doesn’t happen until the very last page of the comic! The coming issues will probably straighten out and focus on the future, but as it stands, this issue alone falls flat.
Art:
Despite my grievances with the story, the artwork for the issue is pretty great. While I can’t say I am familiar with Rafa Sandoval’s work, his illustrations go hand-in-hand with the Flash. Barry looks excellent, the villains look menacing, and paired up with the superb colorwork, it’s a feast for the eyes. There are a few hiccups here and there, specifically with the strange proportions of the Flash’s chin. It would often appear as if his chin would change in size drastically when he got in and out of costume. Besides that, this art is a welcome change from the last one for this story.
Conclusion:
I hope this story gets better. The recap dragged this issue down hard, and I kept asking myself, “Why am I reading this?” The next issue will probably have more to it, which is good news for new and regular readers.
Dumplin’ stars Danielle Macdonald as Willowdean “Dumplin'” Dickson who is a young girl on the larger side of life and that puts her at odds with her mother played by Jennifer Aniston who is a former beauty queen. The film is based on the best-selling novel of the same name written by Julie Murphy. Dumplin’ will upload onto Netflix December 7, 2018.
About Dumplin’
Official Description: Willowdean, the plus-size teenage daughter of a former beauty queen, signs up for her mom’s Miss Teen Bluebonnet pageant as a protest that escalates when other contestants follow her footsteps, revolutionizing the pageant and their small Texas town.
Director Anne Fletcher (Step Up, The Proposal) steered Dumplin to completion here. Having Jennifer Aniston gives this movie a solid talent to build around. However, lead Danielle Macdonald, though young, is building an impressive resume in a short amount of time. Macdonald previously starred in crime film Every Secret Thing (2014) and the drama Patti Cake$ (2017). From the looks of the trailer, Dumplin’ starts a revolution that’s going to be fun and heartwarming.
Danielle Macdonald as Willowdean “Dumplin'” Dickson
Jennifer Aniston as Rosie Dickson
Luke Benward as Bo
Odeya Rush as Ellen ‘El’ Dryver
Dove Cameron as Bekah Cotter
Bex Taylor-Klaus as Hannah Perez
Harold Perrineau as Lee Wayne / Rhea Ranged
Maddie Baillio as Millie
Sam Pancake as Dale
Dan Finnerty as Eugene Reed
Stories about underdogs and rebels will forever be popular because so many people relate to feeling powerless or put down. Jennifer Aniston has a fascinating filmography over the last 10 years, and Dumplin’ looks like a perfect role for her combination of depth of soul and ditzy. The film also brings us a new song from country music legend Dolly Parton.
Did this trailer get you excited for Dumplin’? Leave your comments below!
The Informer stars Joel Kinnaman as an ex-con turned informant who becomes the focal point in a power struggle between the FBI, police, and the mob putting his life and that of his family at risk.The trailer puts all the players front and center, including Clive Owen as a sinister FBI agent and Common as a vengeful cop, to set up a film that seems like it’ll have a lot of surprises twists and turns. The Informer is set for release in March 2019.
About The Informer
Official Description: An ex-convict working undercover intentionally gets himself incarcerated again in order to infiltrate the mob at a maximum security prison.
Italian actor and director Andrea Di Stefano leads The Informer thought its many plot twists. Previously, Andrea directed Escobar: Paradise Lost, about drug lord Pablo Escobar. So, it’s safe to say Andrea knows how to tell a story that involves the kind of people we see in the trailer. Corrupt government agents, ex-cons trying to make a new life, the mob, and a cop out for revenge.
Joel Kinnaman as Pete Koslow
Rosamund Pike
Ana de Armas as Sofia Hoffman
Clive Owen
Sam Spruell as Slewitt
Common
Ruth Bradley
Martin McCann as Riley
Nasir Jama as Peter’s Detail
Jenna Willis as Nadia
Joel Kinnaman is a bit of a void when it comes to charisma as a leading man. Perhaps his stoic style of acting will suit the kind of character he’s playing here. Surrounding him is a fantastic cast in a story that can either be compelling and complex or straight-forward and unremarkable. Only time will tell where The Informer will land.
Did this trailer get you excited forThe Informer? Leave your comments below!
The Clovehitch Killer is a new thriller film from director Duncan Skiles and starring Dylan McDermott and Charlie Plummer. It follows a picture-perfect family whose world is turned upside down when the son begins obsessing about a local serial killer.
This film is very unique and not at all what you would expect from the marketing. It seems like it is going to be a much more straightforward horror-mystery, whereas in actuality, it is a slow-burn thriller. Ultimately, the direction in which the film is taken is far more intelligent and refreshing than what had been expected.
Admittedly, the first thirty minutes or so of the film feel somewhat slow, as it establishes the characters, themes, and foreshadowing of the film. However, after that point, it begins to get crazy until it reaches one of the most insane and shocking climaxes of the year.
Part of what is so surprising about this film was its ability to craft suspense out of the simplest of conversations. Even totally normal, mundane conversations were made to be highly discomforting because of the way in which they were shot and performed. On the page, a lot of the dialogue may not have been that impressive. However, in execution, it works really well.
The film also takes a nonlinear twist. In an almost Hitchcockian move, the film frequently switches protagonists from the son to the patriarch of the family and back. This allows the audience to see different perspectives of the story, which is a thoroughly interesting idea. This also builds a lot of suspense, as the shifts occurred right after a big development took place in the plot.
The film is weirdly funny at times too. Many scenes follow the progression from uncomfortable to funny to unsettling to scary. Again, the delivery was key to the success of the film. There’s an obvious element of irony in the story, and that helps in many ways; however, it becomes really enjoyable because of some of the quirkier elements in the conversations.
If it wasn’t quite obvious already, the two lead actors give wonderful performances in the film. Dylan McDermott absolutely nails his role, giving what is likely a career-best turn. He is totally believable in the role, doing a great job of being both charismatic and mysterious. Charlie Plummer seems like he’s on a hot streak too, this being his third great turn in a row. His reactions are surprisingly organic, selling much of the film’s conflict.
Overall, The Clovehitch Killer is a really well-made thriller. It may take a bit to truly get into it, but once you do, you will be completely engulfed and spellbound by the mystery.
The Clovehitch Killer is in theaters and on demand beginning November 16.
The Long Dumb Road is a pretty straightforward premise. The film is a comedy where two dudes with very different personalities go on a road trip.The Long Dumb Road isn’t a complex story to get – but that helps it get to the point. The film gets right into its subject matter, and it’s what makes it a fun watch.
Tony Revolori (Spider-Man: Homecoming, Dope) plays Nat, a student going off to college. Car troubles interrupt his trip, and the only one who can help is Richard, played by Jason Mantzoukas (How Did This Get Made?, Big Mouth). From there, the duo sets off for Los Angeles, each hoping for a new life.
The story is more like a series of vignettes, a bunch of road trips that happen to involve the same two people.The Long Dumb Road starts with a fairly predictable story – Richard takes a detour to reconnect with a former lover. However, that storyline is over and done within the first half hour, wrapping up in a satisfying way. The next hour is similar – some fairly predictable beats, but without any fluff or filler. The road trip tropes are hit so efficiently that the film stays fresh.
From left: Jason Mantzoukas, Grace Gummer, Hannah Fidell, and Jason Mantzoukas
A huge part of what keeps The Long Dumb Road rolling is its stars. It’s great to see Mantzoukas get a starring role, after years of killing the comedy game. Mantzoukas lends his trademark high energy to Richard, but with a genuine human touch. The craziness of Richard is well-balanced by Revolori’s film kid Nat. Nat’s straight-man act, rooted in all too real artsy stereotypes, bounces off Richard so well. The acting duo slays with their instant chemistry.
While the to-the-point storytelling keeps momentum going, the film sometimes feels fragmented. Not every emotional beat gets explored to their full potential. While Nat recognizes he comes from privilege, he never really reckons with it. He just decides to not be privileged anymore – more to do with Ron Livingston’s Francois than his relationship with Richard. Likewise, Richard’s emotional development – dealing with his self-hatred and fast fall into relationships – gets dropped. It’s nice to see them get happy endings, but it’s not clear why they should get them.
That said,The Long Dumb Road‘s direction helps smooth over the bumpy story beats. Hannah Fidell (6 Years, Casual) does great work with the story, infusing it with a grounded feel. Fidell helps the talented stars keep the story’s pace, with no beats lasting too long. The quick pace also contains great bits along the road – like the continuously buggy car, and the drive-thru rant. Fidell’s direction keeps The Long Dumb Road short and sweet.
The Long Dumb Road is a fast-paced pleasure. Mantzoukas and Revolori anchor the film, and their journey flows effortlessly. While there’s always more to explore with any movie universe, The Long Dumb Road keeps you entertained all the way to L.A.
Team Khan is a new documentary about professional boxer Amir Khan. It follows Khan over a two year period as he and his team strive to get a fight with the best boxer on the planet, Floyd Mayweather.
Boxing is a very unique sport. Some people absolutely love to watch it and some people can’t stand it. However, even if you don’t like watching live boxing, movies about the sport often have a surprising allure. Films like the Rocky series draw large audiences, including some fans who don’t even like the sport. Team Khan shares some qualities with those movies.
This is perhaps one of the most exciting documentaries to come out this year because of the way in which the film is shot and edited. Actual footage of Khan’s fights is included in the movie, and this can be shocking and brutal at times (thankfully, the worst of it is often not shown).
For people who keep up with the sport regularly, this may not be that exciting, though, as hardcore fans probably would have seen the fights as they occurred. However, the film assumes the audience does not know the results, and benefits from it, as this creates a large deal of suspense.
The film also uses music very well. The songs that were chosen for the soundtrack fit the tone well. It’s mostly popular music, but it works. The main function of the music is to create hype and intensity in the lead-up to the fights, and it does so perfectly.
Luckily, the movie doesn’t focus too much on the training sequences because many movies that have come before have shown boxers training for their fights. Instead, the film focuses more on the business aspects leading up to the fight. Surprisingly, it is just as suspenseful to watch Khan and his team figuring out what to do to achieve their goal as them actually doing it.
However, the movie does struggle with creating adequate depth. Khan is developed to be likable over the course of the film, but it doesn’t really do that much to help the audience get to know him more as a person. In a few of the interviews, Khan is asked about his daughter, and these are the only true hints of depth in the movie. Otherwise, it is a mostly surface-level documentary. It would have been beneficial if Khan’s personal life had been explored more.
Overall, Team Khan is a very enjoyable, albeit somewhat shallow documentary. Even if you don’t particularly like boxing, this documentary is definitely worth a shotTeam Khan is in select theaters and on demand November 16.
Fighting with my Family stars Florence Pugh as an aspiring wrestler who, along with her equally ambitious brother, get a shot to audition for the WWE and results create a mix of action and comedy that includes a special guest — The Rock.The film is produced by the WWE with Stephen Merchant on as writer and director. Fighting with my Family slams down in theaters in February of 2019.
About Fighting with my Family
Official Description: A former wrestler and his family make a living performing at small venues around the country while his kids dream of joining World Wrestling Entertainment.
Stephen Merchant is a fantastic writer and director who created The Office before Steve Carrell was ever in it. On paper, the site of his name next to a film about wrestling is a little odd but then the trailer plays out, and it all makes perfect sense. Fighting with my Family has that beautifully timed humor that merchant is known for. Also, if trends hold, the film will have a heartfelt component that’ll balance out the comedy.
Florence Pugh as Raya Knight
Dwayne Johnson as Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson
Lena Headey as Julia Knight
Vince Vaughn as Hutch
Stephen Merchant as Hugh
Nick Frost as Ricky Knight
Jack Lowden as Zak Knight
Kim Matula as Jeri-Lynn
Paul Wight as Big Show
Eli Jane as Wrestler
Wrestling is endlessly popular, as is The Rock, and Stephen Merchant is a fantastic writer and director. It stars a strong female lead, has slick looking production, Nick Frost as a loveable lunatic father, it’s based on a true story, and seems to have a lot of laughs. The WWE might have a cinematic offering that’s worthy of a championship belt. Also, The Rock all but guarantees the movie will make its budget back even if he’s not the principal star.
Did this trailer get you excited forFighting with my Family? Leave your comments below!
Gloria Bell stars Julianne Moore as a single woman in her 50s looking for love but the journey to find herself takes some wild twists and turns in this reimagining of the 2012 Chilean-American film Gloria.The film takes Moore’s Gloria to modern-day nightclubs where she meets the likes of John Turturro and Michael Cera in the upcoming comedy-drama. Gloria Bell heads to cinema screens in Spring of 2019.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WFQOvmINvLA
About Gloria Bell
Official Description: A free-spirited woman in her 50s seeks out love at L.A. dance clubs.
Gloria Bell is based on Gloria, a 2012 film written and directed by Sebastián Lelio who returns for the reimagining. As Lelio puts it, “It’s going to be like jazz, you’ll feel the spirit of the original story, but it’ll be re-invigorated …” The original film received rave reviews, so much so that Moore and others came calling about this new version. Moore is only the tip of the casting iceberg that includes plenty of notable talent.
Gloria Bell features a cast that includes …
Julianne Moore as Gloria Bell
John Turturro as Arnold
Michael Cera as Peter
Brad Garrett as Dustin
Sean Astin as Jeremy
Caren Pistorius as Anne
Cassi Thomson as Virginia
Alanna Ubach as Veronica
Barbara Sukowa as Melinda
What’s not to like here? The cast is incredible, and the story looks fun. Julianne Moore is one of the best actresses of this generation (#ChangeMyMind) and from the looks of the trailer Gloria Bell will give her a playground of emotions to play with as the title character. If Rotten Tomatoes means anything to you, the film currently holds a 100% fresh rating (based on 14 reviews). All signs point to a quality film that looks like it’s getting a release date smack dab in blockbuster territory as a bit of counter-programming. Smart move or cinematic suicide? You decide!
Did this trailer get you excited for Gloria Bell? Leave your comments below!
