A Star Wars alum is making his way into the DCEU. According to Umberto Gonzalez at The Wrap, Ewan McGregor is joining the cast of Birds of Prey as the villain, Black Mask.
McGregor will join the cast which already includes Margot Robbie, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Jurnee Smollett-Bell, and Rosie Perez. His filmography includes Star Wars, Trainspotting, and a stint on the Fargo TV series, where he met his girlfriend and co-star, Mary Elizabeth Winstead.
Black Mask made his first comic appearance in 1985 as a minor mob boss. The character rose to prominence following his role in the Batman: Arkham video games.
Birds of Prey will see Harley Quinn (Robbie) team up with Black Canary (Smollett-Bell), Huntress (Winstead), and Renne Montoya (Perez). The plot will center around the group attempting to rescue Cassandra Cain from the main antagonist of the film, Black Mask (McGregor).
Cathy Yan, best known for her film Dead Pigs, is set to direct the female-centric film. Robbie is also attached as a producer and has been heavily involved in the development of the film.
Robbie had this to say about the project:
“Actually, the ones that excite me most don’t have superpowers at all but they have, you know, pretty great backstories and all could kind of live in the world with Harley and create this cool dynamic. Because I don’t think girl groups… I mean all my girlfriends, we’re a huge girl gang and we’re not all the same person, everyone’s very different. I guess I was really trying to put that on screen — the way we exist in everyday life as a big girl gang. Why can’t we watch that in films more?”
Are you excited for McGregor to take on the role of Black Mask? Let us know in the comments below!
Owens and Zayn have done everything to push Smackdown Live Commissioner Shane McMahon’s buttons, and perhaps it’s finally gone too far. General Manager Daniel Bryan is a voice of reason to McMahon and convinces him to let the pair fight to keep their jobs.
BOOM! Studios – WWE #20
Through Dennis Hopeless’s intense storytelling, Owens and Zayn have done just that. They’ve worked their way through the WWE roster, winning along the way, and solidifying their employment status on Smackdown Live. But, there’s a bigger plan in the works: a six-pack challenge for the WWE Heavyweight Championship at the Fastlanepay per view. Six men enter, but only one can be victorious. With Owens and Zayn as two of the entrants, only one can win. If it comes down to it, will one lay down for the other to capitalize on the opportunity?
ART
As always, Serg Acuna’s artwork is second to none. He understands the facial expressions of a frustrated Daniel Bryan, an angry Sami Zayn, and an overconfident Kevin Owens. But, there’s one face we see hardly any of, and that’s Shane McMahon. The panels position McMahon’s back to the audience, or the panel keeps McMahon’s head out of the layout.
BOOM! Studios – WWE #20
I also love the inclusion of the Lumberjack match in this issue; it’s a great way to include WWE talent who haven’t had a storyline featured yet, but they still hold a place in the overall storyline that is Smackdown Live.
Doug Garbark’s color choices are always on point. The arena panels almost seem to glow, and the backstage scenes have more muted tones. Jim Campbell’s lettering weaves in-ring conversation and commentary well, giving us story and background at the same time.
SIDE STORY
The choral voices of the vocalists singing the gloriousness of Bobby Roode are angelic, and writer Julian May & artist Rodrigo Lorenzo have the superstar dancing among the clouds. He defends and won’t give in against an unknown opponent, and he will remain glorious until the end.
CONCLUSION
This was a great wrap-up to the Kevin and Sami Show. Owens has been pushing Zayn this whole time, and now it seems that Zayn is finally taking the advice, standing on top… alone.
Monster Party is a new horror film from writer-director Chris von Hoffman. And no, this is not a movie about Dracula, the Wolfman, and Frankenstein’s monster getting together to have fun. Instead, this is about three teenagers who infiltrate a dinner party secretly held by a serial killer cult for the social elite.
Ultimately, this film needs to be praised for its ambition above all else. It has some very lofty goals, and while it doesn’t accomplish them all as thoroughly as it would like, it is much more successful than a majority of the B-horror movies that come out today.
The best part about this film is that it never takes itself too seriously. It is self-aware enough to realize that it isn’t ever going to be great, so it embraces the schlockiness of the genre and becomes a truly fun midnight movie. There are quite a few ironic moments that stand out, in which the extremely violent imagery is juxtaposed with the elegant and uplifting score.
(L-R) Julian McMahon as Patrick, Lance Reddick as Milo, and Robin Tunney as Roxanne in the horror/thriller film “MONSTER PARTY,” a RLJE Films release. Photo courtesy of RLJE Films.
The film also introduces some very interesting ideas. The thought of a serial killer cult for the wealthy is quite fascinating, and the fact that they are treating the dinner like an AA meeting is even more intriguing. This gives the movie a lot of room to include socioeconomic commentary on the privilege of the upper class.
Additionally, there are some really solid kills. The climax of the film is particularly crazy, as the blood begins to pour and the plot begins to make unexpected twists and turns. It is easy to turn a blind eye to some of the inconsistencies because it is so high-speed and fun to watch.
That being said, there are some elements that were rather lackluster. The character of Mickey is thoroughly confusing. It just seemed like a bad decision to include that scene. Specifics won’t be discussed as to avoid spoilers, but that scene felt largely unexplained, tonally different, and like a mistake in terms of characterization.
Sam Strike as Casper in the horror/thriller film “MONSTER PARTY,” an RLJE Films release. Photo courtesy of RLJE Films.
There is also a subplot about the protagonist’s father that is unnecessary. Yes, it gives him motivation, but there are other ways in which this could have been done. In fact, the movie has another one written in that it just didn’t use. This also contributes to the ending being mostly unsatisfying.
Furthermore, the execution of the film has some weak spots, but that can be expected of a lower-budget horror movie. At least it embraces this. Some of the gorier kills aren’t particularly impressive, as the practical effects aren’t of the highest quality. There is a scene involving a severed hand that is almost laughable.
Overall, Monster Party was a surprisingly enjoyable film. It isn’t the most well-made, but it is quite a bit of fun and offers some interesting ideas.
Monster Party is in theaters and on VOD beginning November 2.
The original Suspiria is considered by many to be a horror classic. It has gained a large and loyal cult fanbase, ultimately leading to a new “remake” by filmmaker Luca Guadagnino (Call Me By Your Name).
Don’t be fooled, though. This is less a direct remake and more a re-envisionment of the original. The film explores a famous dance company in Berlin as the artistic director, an ambitious new student, and a grieving psychotherapist are engulfed by darkness.
This movie had everything going for it on paper: beloved source material, a phenomenal cast, and a talented director at the helm. It should have been a masterpiece. What went wrong? The execution of the film wasn’t so bad — it was the writing that was such a let down.
Dakota Johnson stars as Susie in SUSPIRIA. Image Courtesy of Amazon Studios.
For one, the movie was way too slow. It takes forever to actually get moving, and by the time it does, most of the audience will already be checked out of the film anyway. A big part of the issue is that it is a two-and-a-half hour long horror film. It is nearly impossible to maintain intensity for that long, and this movie fails at doing that.
The film also contains far too much expositional dialogue. The visual storytelling is beyond competent, so the inclusion of exposition is simply unnecessary. General audiences that wouldn’t understand the story without this exposition either won’t be drawn to see the movie or won’t like it regardless. This only serves to upset the art-house crowds who expect to be challenged by the film intellectually.
Additionally, the movie suffers from a lack of character development. Whereas the original was driven by the audience sympathizing with the dancers, this version doesn’t do that. There is some backstory given to the protagonist, Susie Bannion, but this only pushes the plot along, not the characterization. Furthermore, the other dancers are throwaway characters that are almost indistinguishable from one another.
Tilda Swinton stars as Madam Blanc in Suspiria. Photo credit: Alessio Bolzoni/Amazon Studios. Photo courtesy of Amazon Studios.
The biggest question mark in this movie, though, is the character of Dr. Josef Klemperer. He does have some development, but it is largely ambiguous and forced. However, he is perhaps the only sympathetic character in the film, as he basically serves as the audience’s perspective. Making it even more interesting is that the character is played by Tilda Swinton… almost. The role is credited to “Lutz Ebersdorf”, but is actually Tilda Swinton under heavy makeups and prosthetics. Her commitment to the role is impressive.
Although the writing leaves something to be desired, it is definitely well-shot. The cinematography is quite surreal and hypnotic. The way in which some of the sequences are shot is what makes them actually disturbing, not necessarily what is happening within them. Guadagnino likes to play around with some of the conventions of filmmaking, and in this movie, he experiments with different frame rates, giving the film an even more dream-like (or nightmarish) quality.
Another success of this movie is its score. The original is famous for its metal-inspired score from Goblin, and although the score for the new one by Thom Yorke of Radiohead is very different, it still lives up to its predecessor in terms of being unorthodox for the genre. It is quite creepy and off-putting, effectively creating tension throughout the film.
Overall, Suspiria was a big disappointment. Although it is well-shot, it’s not very well-written. It’s two and a half hours, yet it feels even longer. The beginning has some intriguing aspects, but it was a relief when the credits rolled.
Suspiria is now playing in select theaters and expands November 2.
Welcome to the 160 episode of the Monkeys Fighting Robots podcast, this week we review HEROES IN CRISIS #2 by Tom King. Editor-In-Chief, Anthony Composto calls in to talk Matt off the ledge after reading the book Thanks for listening, and enjoy the show.
Do you have a question for the show? Email robotsfightingmonkeys@gmail.com
Never heard of Matt Sardo? For starters, he made the Kessel Run in less than 11 parsecs. Prior to that, he gave Doc Brown the idea for the flux capacitor and led the Resistance to victory over SkyNet – all while sipping a finely crafted IPA. As a radio host, he’s interviewed celebrities, athletes and everyone in between. He’s covered everything from the Super Bowl to Comic-Con.
Ever since her breakout role in Bridesmaids, Melissa McCarthy has become famous predominantly for her comedy schtick. However, McCarthy has shown that she also has a serious side in films such as St. Vincent and Can You Ever Forgive Me?, for which getting widespread acclaim.
Can You Ever Forgive Me? tells the true story of Lee Israel, a once-famous celebrity biographer that has fallen out of demand and is struggling financially. To make ends meet, she begins forging “personal” letters from famous celebrities and literary figures.
The story was surprisingly interesting. Forging letters doesn’t seem like it would create the most cinematic story, but enough humor and suspense are infused into the movie that it is thoroughly enjoyable. Many of the forgery scenes are quite suspenseful, emphasizing the sneaky criminal elements of Israel’s actions. The pacing is just right too — it isn’t rushed, but it never drags.
Additionally, the characterization in the film is strong. Israel isn’t painted to be a misanthrope, but a person with issues trusting others, and this makes her vastly more sympathetic. Even though her actions are criminal, the audience can’t help but feel that they are justified because of the light in which the story paints them. The supporting character of Jack Hock is also well-developed. The audience’s opinion of the character fluctuates, much like that of Israel herself.
However, the movie could have done a slightly better job of addressing Israel’s sexuality. The story acknowledges this, but doesn’t really embrace it as it should have. The closest it gets to being successful in this regard is a scene in which we see Israel speaking with one of her former partners. Hock’s sexuality is more openly and adequately explored, but the movie still could have spared to do a bit more, especially towards the end.
Melissa McCarthy delivers the best performance of her career. She nails both the comedic delivery and emotional nuance of the role. Although her more straightforwardly comedic turns have a lot of fans, she is arguably a better dramatic actress, as this and St. Vincent are perhaps her two best performances. Richard E. Grant is also quite strong in his supporting role, doing a great job of capturing the sly, but charming nature of the character.
The movie also has quite a bit going for it stylistically. The editing of the film is phenomenal and keeps the pacing fast. The cinematography and production design are both great, transporting the audience back in time to the 1990’s. The score is excellent too, developing the movie’s tone and mood.
Overall, Can You Ever Forgive Me? was quite impressive. Melissa McCarthy and Richard E. Grant both deliver awards-worthy performances, and the story is very entertaining. This serves as solid counter-programming to some of the bigger-budget fare coming out this month.
Can You Ever Forgive Me? is now playing in select theaters and is currently expanding.
Taking a break from adapting their own animated classics into live-action films, Disney’s newest is The Nutcracker and the Four Realms, inspired by the famous ballet and the short story “The Nutcracker and the Mouse King”. It follows a young girl named Clara, who is transported into a magical world on Christmas Eve.
Unfortunately, this movie suffers predominantly from not having its own identity. The film doesn’t really stand out in any way, instead feeling like a mash-up of elements from its iconic source material, typical Disney fairy tales, and The Wizard of Oz. As such, its theatrical run (which is far too early for it to have legs throughout the holiday season) will be the only life it has. It is so forgettable that it is unlikely anyone will remember it come next Christmas.
Not a whole lot stood out in either direction about this movie. There were only a handful things to like and a few things to really dislike. For the most part, the film was just slightly below average. It isn’t unwatchable, and many of the bad parts are actually quite laughable. Also worth noting is that the movie is somewhat cute as a whole and will likely have appeal to younger/family audiences.
That being said, one part of the film that is absolutely awful is Keira Knightley’s character. She is simply annoying in any possible way you could imagine. Knightley’s performance is ridiculously over-the-top. It is sad that she gives what is perhaps the single worst turn in her career in the same year that she gave one of her best. Not all of it can be faulted on Knightley, though, as the character is poorly-written anyway.
The rest of the cast is mostly fine, but they aren’t given enough to do. The ensemble is filled with talented actors such as Morgan Freeman, Eugenio Derbez, and Richard E. Grant, who are only given a few scenes each. Helen Mirren is given a bit more to do, and does elevate the movie by a bit, but it would have been nice if there were even more of her. Mackenzie Foy’s performance is also fine, but doesn’t stand out.
Visually, the film is a bit of a mixed bag. The physical sets (when they were actual sets) are undeniably impressive. Their scale is grand and there are a lot of intricate details. This helps give the movie its Christmas spirit. However, when the visuals were reliant on CGI, they looked artificial and cartoon-like. Because of this, the real world in the film was more awe-inspiring than the fantasy world, which is a shame.
However, rightfully the best part of the movie is the score. Being based on a famous Tchaikovsky ballet, the composer, James Newton Howard, had quite a bit with which he could work, and he certainly delivered. Throughout the film, you can pick up on bits and pieces of the classic melodies, with added twists.
Overall, The Nutcracker and the Four Realms wasn’t awful, but it is definitely one of Disney’s infrequent misfires. That being said, it may be a good way to get your younger kids in the holiday spirit.
The Nutcracker and the Four Realms opens in theaters November 2.
THE FLASH continues its trend of building a strong season-long narrative with Nora and Cicada. “News Flash” is all about Fake News, as the team faces off against a fame-thirsty blogger. It’s a fun one-off premise that helps move the actual plot progression forward. The episode does a great job of keeping its Nora-Cicada story moving forward.
The attention-seeking blogger is an interesting angle. It’s not exactly political, but obviously “fake news” is a phrase used all the time these days. It’s helpful that THE FLASH counters this attention-seeking meta with Iris, the actual seasoned & ethical reporter. There’s a clear viewpoint the episode makes, outside of one political party – misinformation is dangerous. Whether it’s spreading lies to seek out fame, or sending The Flash to Las Vegas, we should always seek out the truth.
Jessica Parker Kennedy as XS, CW’s THE FLASH
But Iris shines as more than a former journalist this episode. We finally get the reveal of why Nora is so cold to Iris. It was clear that Nora was bitter about something Future-Iris did, but we didn’t know what. And to be fair to Nora, the fact Future-Iris subdues and lies about Nora’s powers is certainly shocking. But THE FLASH doesn’t stop there – by the end of the episode, both Iris and Barry feel like this future decision was the right thing to do. It’s layers of family drama and strange dynamics that makes this conflict feel raw and real.
THE FLASH consistently finds good ways to keep Iris in the mix. While lesser shows might write the character off as a generic love interest, Iris has consistently stepped up. From leading Team Flash, to digging into the deeper story – even becoming a speedster on one occasion. Candice Patton has often had to deal with hateful trolls because of her role. However, episodes like this prove how wrong those critics are. Patton is a huge asset to this series, and with this season in particular, as she continues knocking it out of the park.
Where the season will go from here is interesting to see. So far, the series has done a great job balancing out its season-long arc with villains of the week. While “News Flash” moves the story forward a great deal, there’s still more to be seen. Will Nora reconcile with her parents? How will Cicada’s methods change with his newfound strength? THE FLASH seems very up to the task, with another home-run episode.
…get it? Because Barry played softball in the beginning? Look, I was gonna make a baseball pun somewhere. But I saved it until the end. You’re welcome.
If you have a fear of spiders, then the Doctor Who episode “Arachnids in the UK” is not for you. The Doctor and her companions face a new eight-legged threat in modern Sheffield for the latest episode.
After many attempts to return her new companions to Sheffield, The Doctor finally arrives in the Steel City. With their journey seemingly being over, Yaz invites The Doctor and Ryan for a cup of tea and some downtime. But wherever the Doctor is trouble isn’t far behind. The city is suddenly plagued with giant spiders. The Doctor and her companions investigate the giant spiders, and where they came from.
Picture Shows: The Doctor (JODIE WHITTAKER)
So far, Series 11 of Doctor Who has been successful, bringing new life to the series. It excels with its small scale stories, a willingness to break the formula, and Jodie Whittaker winning over her critics. “Arachnids in the UK” is sadly the worst episode so far in Chris Chibnall’s run as showrunner and it is an example of some of the worst aspects of Doctor Who.
There are some positives to the episode. Like the previous two episodes, the adventure in this episode is smaller-scale. The Doctor isn’t trying to stop the conquest or destruction of the Earth. The episode does something Doctor Who needed to do for a long time – tell a sci-fi story without aliens. The Davies and Moffatt eras were too reliant on extraterrestrial threats, even for time-travel adventures. Doctor Who has pretty much infinite possibilities and writers should use other sci-fi ideas.
The other strength of the episode was it showed more of Yaz’s home life. She comes around as a cross between Rose and Martha – like Rose Yaz is from a working-class background and lives on council estates and like Martha, has a close-knit family. Her dad (Ravin J Ganatra) is seemingly a bit nuts and she bickers with her sister (Bhavnisha Parmar). There also hints that Yaz and Ryan might end up in a relationship because Yaz’s family assumes Ryan is her boyfriend. It wouldn’t be the first time The Doctor travels with a couple – there was Rose and Mickey, and Amy and Rory.
The worst part of the episode is the unnecessary political commentary. Chris Noth plays Jack Robertson, who’s basically Donald Trump. He’s a real estate magnate who builds luxury property, and plans to run for President of the United States out of spite. Doctor Who has had politically themed episodes, and the previous season made plenty of Trump jokes. However, Robertson is not as idiotic, offensive or xenophobic as his inspiration. His role wasn’t necessary in the episode, making his appearance gratuitous. Robertson could’ve worked if the show cared more about making him work within the episode.
“Arachnids in the UK” could have been an environmentally themed episode. For example, The Korean monster movie The Host, where chemicals were recklessly dumped into the river, led to a similar monster problem. This Doctor Who episode was surprisingly timely because there was a scandal where a company in the UK did not dispose of body parts and dangerous waste properly – but this was just a coincidence.
The other issues with the episode were the resolution and the moral of the episode. From this point on there will be SPOILERS.
At the end of the Doctor decides to bring all the spiders to an underground dump to euthanize them. To draw them in, Ryan plays a grime song with a deep baseline – which was really dumb. It was like when Bart and Lisa brought snakes into their house in The Simpsons episode “Whacking Day.” Furthermore, the spider queen grows so big that it is suffocating to death. Yet somehow, The Doctor is so anti-gun that she condemns Robertson for shooting the spider. The Doctor would have let the spider have a longer, more agonizing death instead of finding an alternative method.
“Arachnids in the UK” could have been a solid horror-themed episode. It could’ve been a homage to B-movie monster flicks. There are some moments of merit, but the episode falls flat as a whole. Fans will skip this episode once they get their full season access.
The Justice League Dark brings the battle against Hecate to a close!
The Witching Hour is coming to a close on the spookiest night of the year. The goddess of magic, Hecate, has declared war on the world’s magic. She hopes to clear the board and remake magic how she sees fit. She does this by taking control of magical heroines across the globe to take out locations tied to the arcane. One of these heroines is Wonder Woman, who despite her best efforts, failed to keep control of herself. The Justice League Dark stand against the goddess, doing their best to stop the attacks at every turn. With Diana being under Hecate’s control completely, does the League stand a chance?
**Some Spoilers Below**
Story:
Hecate, growing tired of the meddling League, sends dangerous obstacles to end their threat. While they work together with surviving magical heroes, Diana stays trapped within the subconscious of Hecate. As Wonder Woman tries to figure out how to get control of her body again, Madame Xanadu appears to offer advice. It turns out Hecate has a true enemy: The Upside Down Man. Realizing that he is the only way Hecate will stop, Diana looks to take back control. Unfortunately, she sees that her body is going to Mount Olympus to destroy it.
While I still enjoyed this issue, there were a few problems with it. The most glaring problem is, unfortunately, the pacing. It goes so slow that it’s hard to get into the story. We get plenty of info on how Hecate is tied to the Upside Down Man, but without action to break up that, it feels dull. When we do get into those sweet action sequences, however, they go by so quickly, we can’t truly enjoy them. Upside Down Man appears, attacks Hecate, League runs away, the end. It feels bizarre, jarring, and brings the story down. The lore they have for Hecate is great, especially with the connection to the first villain of the new League, but it isn’t enough to bring in the common reader.
Art:
Despite the dip in writing, the art continues to be top notch. The team does a phenomenal job in capturing the Dark side of the DCU as we close out this story. The highlight would be the Hecate origin story. It is a mystifying journey, and because of the team, feels otherworldly. While on the subject, the Upside Down Man continues to be one of the creepiest characters ever put in DC comics. The Justice League Dark crossover has some of the best art on the shelves, and this conclusion is no different.
Conclusion:
While it isn’t as fantastic as the rest of the story, this issue was still an okay finale. The flaws are apparent, but I still enjoyed the deep dive into the history of Hecate. If you have enjoyed the story up to this point, you’ll probably get a good read out of it. For any other reader, however, I can’t wholly recommend this unless you like lore over action.
