ZOMBIELAND 2 Moving Forward With Original Cast & Director Returning

By

-

July 14, 2018

Almost a decade after the release of the sleeper hit Zombieland, a sequel to the film is finally moving forward. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the sequel will begin production in January with stars Emma Stone, Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, and Abigail Breslin set to return.

Zombieland 2 will also see the return of director Ruben Fleischer, who is currently helming Sony’s Venom, as well as writers Paul Wernick and Rhett Reese, who wrote both Deadpool films. The studio is eyeing an October 2019 release for the film.

A sequel to Zombieland has reportedly been on the table for several years. At one point it was to become a TV series with a different cast. That idea never came to fruition which leads to the more traditional sequel moving forward.

The cast of the film has come into their own since Zombieland hit theaters all the way back in 2009. Emma Stone has become one of the most premiere actresses in Hollywood, racking up 2 Oscar nominations including a win for Best Actress for La La Land. Harrelson has also seen his name up for an Oscar, being nominated for Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri just this year. He’s also become a franchise staple appearing in Solo: A Star Wars Story and War for the Planet of the Apes.

Eisenberg has become a very high profile actor as well, earning high praise for his performance in The Social Network. He’s also appeared in many notable films including Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice. Abagail Breslin has also kept busy with numerous film roles and a stint on Fox’s Scream Queens.

Columbia Pictures president Sanford Panitch discussed how they were able to get the gang back together for Zombieland 2 with the cast being in such high demand:

“These are some of the most in-demand actors, and I think they are making this movie because they love these characters. We are thrilled Ruben was willing to come back to direct the sequel, as his work on Venom has been truly amazing.”

Are you excited for Zombieland 2? Let us know in the comments below!

Monkeys Fighting Robots Youtube

2018 Emmy Awards: 5 Shows That Should’ve Been Nominated

By

Jon Barr - TV Editor

-

July 14, 2018

The 2018 Emmy award nominations came out on Thursday. While a lot of solid shows got recognized, some spectacular shows were not. There are a few shows that are particularly strange to leave out of the “Best Series” conversation. Here are some of the best shows that most certainly deserved to be nominated for the Best Drama/Comedy categories.

THE GOOD PLACE

The brilliant high-concept comedy THE GOOD PLACE absolutely deserves an Emmy nomination. For two seasons, the show has delighted and surprised viewers. The show also comes from the team behind PARKS & RECREATION, BROOKLYN NINE-NINE, and AN EMMY FOR MEGAN. Ted Danson did get a nomination for his performance, but this show deserves even more love.

BOJACK HORSEMAN

While it may be suited more for “Best Animated Series,” there’s no doubt BOJACK HORSEMAN has earned a spot in the Best Comedy conversation. Not only is it one of the funniest shows on Netflix, but it’s also one of the most emotional and dramatic shows. It’s also probably the most consistent Netflix originals, going strong for four seasons. BOJACK HORSEMAN really hasn’t gotten its due at the Emmys, but it’s high time it got more love.

KILLING EVE

The new series from Phoebe Waller-Bridge has been a surprise smash hit. KILLING EVE has gotten a lot of acclaim since its premiere on BBC. Even only one season in, it’s clear KILLING EVE is some of the best drama of the medium. The Emmys clearly recognize the show’s quality, as star Sandra Oh was nominated for Best Actress. The series also scored a Best writing nomination for the episode ‘Nice Face.’ Why the series as a whole wasn’t nominated is confusing, and it’s a real shame.

BROOKLYN NINE-NINE

One of the strongest current sitcoms is BROOKLYN NINE-NINE. The series ran for five seasons on FOX, before being cancelled (then picked up by NBC). The cast & crew of the series includes some of the greatest voices currently in comedy. BROOKLYN NINE-NINE consistently brings big laughs and pure moments that make it a staple of network television. The hope was that its recent rescue from cancellation would draw in those that haven’t seen the show yet. It’s a shame this series hasn’t gotten its due from the Emmy awards.

INSECURE

HBO has a lot of comedies on its slate, but INSECURE has gone severely overlooked. It’s crazy that INSECURE wasn’t also nominated, especially following a stellar second season. It seems like INSECURE was partially overlooked for legacy series like SILICON VALLEY and CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM. Those shows may not be bad, but not nearly as fresh or exciting as Issa Rae’s INSECURE.

There are plenty of other shows you could argue deserved more love – from AMERICAN VANDAL to SMILF to SEARCH PARTY. Which series did you think deserved more Emmy love? Let us know in the comments below!

Monkeys Fighting Robots Youtube

‘MY HERO ACADEMIA’ Episode 52 Review: “Create Those Ultimate Moves”

By

Jon Barr - TV Editor

-

Finding signature moves makes for a weaker MY HERO ACADEMIA. It’s almost funny that the episode where heroes come up with all-powerful moves doesn’t pack a huge punch. This episode isn’t bad, of course – it’s hard to imagine an actually bad MY HERO ACADEMIA episode. However, this episode doesn’t have a lot of substance, which makes it feel a bit like filler.

“Create Those Ultimate Moves” is a lot like last week’s episode, as the heroes develop. While Class 1-A is strong, they are encouraged to come up with surefire battle-ending attacks. While most of the students try coming up with big, flashy moves, Midoriya rethinks his whole technique. Midoriya is struggling to separate himself as a hero from his idol, All Might. This episode continues the series arc of Midoriya coming into his own, and taking on the “One For All” mantle.

The development in this episode is a bit too slow and drawn out to pack a punch. There is some compelling stuff with Midoriya’s development as his own hero. However, the realization that he should also use his legs isn’t enough of a revelation. Especially since Midoriya still gets his arm braces, it’s not a game-changing shift – yet. It will be interesting to see how a leg-heavy approach will affect Midoriya’s success as a hero, but we only see one big kick this episode. Midoriya gets to advance a little, but this MY HERO ACADEMIA episode doesn’t stand strong on its own.

What makes this episode feel weak is that there isn’t a lot of meat. It’s not like last week’s “Moving Into Dorms,” where we get a clear image of what all our heroes are up to. We get glimpses of some heroes developing moves, like Bakugo and Tokoyami. However, the majority of the class are left in the background. This is especially disappointing because the lack of screen time coincides with a lack of development for the other kids. The rooms of Class 1-A students helped us learn more about them as people. “Create Those Ultimate Moves” gave no such character development.

Perhaps the strongest part of this episode is the return of Hatsume. The Support Class student returns to “help” Midoriya and friends improve their suits. Hatsume is a fun presence, as she once again uses others to test her tech. It’s funny how her experiments hurt the heroes, but it’s also sweet to see her fiery passion. The awkward Midoriya-Hatsume physical stuff is fine, but takes away from the stronger Hatsume characteristics. With that said, Hatsume helped inject some fun energy into a slower episode.

MY HERO ACADEMIA doesn’t do a lot to push its characters forward. It’s nice that Midoriya is given a small push forward, but it’s still small. This episode only has a few small morsels to stay engaging. From the original three super-friends coming back together, to All Might reading up on teaching, there is good stuff in this. Unfortunately, there isn’t enough to make “Create Those Ultimate Moves” feel like an ultimate episode.

Monkeys Fighting Robots Youtube

Joss Whedon and HBO Team Up for a New Sci-fi TV Show

By

Kieran Freemantle

-

July 14, 2018

HBO is adding to their geek credentials once again, releasing a press statement about a new sci-fi TV show they are set to produce and having a big name attached to it: Joss Whedon.

The Nevers is set to be a Victorian-era sci-fi show centering on a group of powerful female characters. HBO has stated that ‘the show will be an epic science fiction drama about a gang of Victorian women who find themselves with unusual abilities, relentless enemies, and a mission that might change the world.’ Whedon has described the show as ‘the most ambitious narrative I’ve created. It’s been too long since I created an entirely new fictional world.’

The Nevers will be Whedon’s first original TV show since Dollhouse in 2009 and the first project since Avengers: Age of Ultron in 2015. Whedon’s projects have gained him a large fanbase. This is a man has Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Firefly and The Avengers to his name and HBO as a broadcaster gives its showrunners a lot of creative freedom. Whedon will serve as executive producer, showrunner, writer, and director of the series.

Game of Thrones has been a huge critical and audience success for HBO as well as a commercial hit – millions have been made from DVD, Blu-ray and merchandise and HBO clearly want more of this. The broadcaster already has Westworld that pleases genre audiences and they have a Game of Thrones spin-off and Watchmen adaptation in development. The Nevers would be a part HBO’s high concept, genre broadcasting it would interesting to see what Whedon comes up with.

Monkeys Fighting Robots Youtube

Prepare to Have Your Mind Blown By This Latest Trailer For A SIMPLE FAVOR

By

Dewey Singleton - Film Critic

-

July 13, 2018

A Simple Favor is slated for release in September which is primarily considered to be a transitional month between the summer and award season. Could that trend be changing? Paul Feig’s latest project A Simple Favor ratchets up the tension with every trailer or teaser poster they release. The release is anchored by Blake Lively and Anna Kendrick in roles we aren’t accustomed to seeing them in. Is it a delicious mystery that would have worked during the summer or will we start hearing awards buzz about the film? Who knows at this point, but what’s clear is A Simple Favor looks excellent! Check out the synopsis –

A SIMPLE FAVOR, directed by Paul Feig, centers around Stephanie (Anna Kendrick), a mommy
vlogger who seeks to uncover the truth behind her best friend Emily’s (Blake Lively) sudden
disappearance from their small town. Stephanie is joined by Emily’s husband Sean (Henry Golding) in this
stylish thriller filled with twists and betrayals, secrets and revelations, love and loyalty, murder and
revenge.

If that doesn’t do it for you, then watch the trailer –

The trailer looks impressive and it appears that Feig has assembled some great supporting cast members as well. A Simple Favor opens up September 14th and stars Anna Kendrick, Blake Lively, Henry Golding, Andrew Rannells, Linda Cardellini, Jean Smart, and Rupert Friend.

Monkeys Fighting Robots Youtube

Cate Shortland Will Direct Marvel Studios’ Black Widow Solo Film

By

Jonathan Bruce

-

July 13, 2018

Marvel Studios’ Black Widow now has a director.

Cate Shortland is going to helm the movie.

According to Variety, the indie director’s hiring comes after a successful meeting with star Scarlett Johansson. Other contenders on the list include Kimberly Peirce, Amma Assante, and Maggie Betts.

Shortland is best known for her work in film and television. Her directorial credits include Somersault, Lore and Berlin Syndrome. Directing Black Widow makes Shortland the second female director to work for Marvel Studios. The first is Anna Boden, co-director of Captain Marvel.

Black Widow will take place sometime before The Avengers. Little is known of the plot, but there is a chance her origins will be shown. There is also talk of Jeremy Renner showing up as Hawkeye, and this could explore their shared history. Another possibility is Bucky Barnes as the Winter Soldier.

Or perhaps we may see the Budapest incident after all….

Expect BlacK Widow in Phase Four.

Monkeys Fighting Robots Youtube

X-23 #1 Takes Laura, Gabby & The Cuckoos On A Cloning Adventure

By

Brandon J. Griffin

-

X-23 picks up where Tom Taylor’s All-New Wolverine left off. Laura and Gabby continue their lovable and bizarre partnership in an all-new adventure featuring ten adamantium claws and three Stepford Cuckoos.

SPOILERS LIE AHEAD

Writer Mariko Tamaki, coming from her She-Hulk run, had pretty big shoes to fill. Tom Taylor’s All-New Wolverine was a major triump, one of Marvel’s most consistently brilliant books over the last few years. This was the run that introduced Laura’s sisters, her new sidekick sister Gabby, and Jonathan the actual wolverine.

The pressure was on but Tamaki effortlessly grabs the torch from Taylor and runs with it in full sprint. This introductory issue of X-23 doesn’t take time to start from scratch or tramble over what was just an all-time great run with the character. Mariko Tamaki pushes forward and takes it to a new place.

Laura and Gabby are digging into some clone business and cross paths with the Stepford Cuckoos while visiting Beast at the school. This story is monumental for being so deeply involved with cloning multiple characters but not at all being a tough read. Any comic book reader that has read pretty much anything from the 90’s knows how much cloning is too much cloning.

The discussion about birthdays and how clones choose to celebrate them is an interesting one. Tamaki shows she’s bringing something new to the table immediately. She’s also got a great handle on both Laura and Gabby. It’s a huge relief to see how well she writes Honeybadger given that she’s only the second person to get a crack at her after Tom Taylor.

X-23 takes some turns as the story starts to take shape. It was a wise choice to craft a story that is both an X-23 tale and that of the Stepford Cuckoos. The premise should satisfy X-Men die-hards.

Artist Juann Cabal illustrates X-23 with plenty of flair and loads of charm. Laura and Gabby’s facial expressions sell every interaction, Cabal makes it known that we’re in good hands in that department as well. Nolan Woodard’s great color work raises the tempo during action scenes and sets the tonal shifts from scene to scene.

The one downfall of X-23 is costume design. After a few years of Laura in her amazing Wolverine uniforms, this wasn’t going to be the easiest job. It’s not an awful costume, it’s just ultimately a downgrade and a little too busy. The Stepford Cuckoos’ matching outfits were also pretty bland for clones of Emma Frost.

Mariko Tamaki and Juann Cabal show they’re more than capable of continuing to build on what Tom Taylor accomplished. X-23 starts off as a perfect compliment to and evolution of All-New Wolverine. This issue should satisfy Laura’s fans, X-Men fans, and newcomers to the character.

Monkeys Fighting Robots Youtube

Review: The Flash #50 Brings The Flash War and More to a Close

By

Jose "Jody" Cardona

-

The Flash War comes to an explosive, emotional, and fun close.

The battle between Barry and Wally may have finished, but there is still one more fight. After Wally’s failed attempt to break his children out of the Speed Force, Hunter Zolomon reveals his plan. The destabilization of the multiverse caused by The Flash gave him access to the Strength and Sage Force. These new forces, along with speed, allow Hunter to become a different, more powerful Flash. With the League incapacitated and the Multiverse splitting apart, Barry and Wally must put aside their differences to stop Hunter. How will this war between the Flashes end and who will be on top?

**Some Spoilers Below**

Story:

Hunter reveals the second part of his plan is to become a hero and “fix” time. Barry and Wally chase after the mad speedster, finding themselves in Hypertime. As they run, the pair sees several different moments in the history of The Flash, including Wally’s kids. They also notice that Hypertime is fading due to this whole debacle and they have to work quickly. They return to the 25th century, now an empty white space, where Hunter tries to bring them in as a new Flash Family. Wally, now remembering his full past, refuses and runs in to take him down.

This finale does a great job to remind us what makes the Flash Family great before it is all destroyed. The closeness we are shown in this issue far exceeds any super-family we’ve seen at DC. Every action and fight is tied to this theme, adding emotional weight throughout the issue. There are plenty of memorable moments throughout the issue, but the best has to be Wally going one on one against Hunter. It perfectly blends action and emotion in one beautiful scene.

There is a problem with this issue, despite its positives. The way the story ended left with me more questions without answers than I think was intended. The Sage and Strength forces have vanished, and there is no clue to what will happen next for Wally going forward. It is a bit nitpicking, but there is still plenty of enjoyment in the issue to overlook it.

Art:

The art team goes above and beyond for this finale and make it a spectacle on the page. Howard Porter finishes off this arc in spectacular fashion, with the fights being the highlights. The final attack on Hunter, in particular, stands out in this issue. It’s not only well drawn, but colored beautifully by Hi-Fi, allowing the whole scene to pop.

Conclusion:

While there are a few nitpicks, this comic is a fantastic ending. It’s full of emotion and action, bringing the Flash War to an epic conclusion. The art team takes this story to the next level with both illustrations and colorwork. It’s a fantastic comic, and I can’t wait to see where our speedster family goes next.

Monkeys Fighting Robots Youtube

It’s Calvin And Hobbes Versus Beetle Bailey in SPENCER AND LOCKE 2

By

Brooke Thomas

-

July 12, 2018

Ringo-nominated series Spencer and Locke is returning this winter, but San Diego Comic-Con attendees will be able to check out the new story next weekend.

In case you missed volume one (shame on you), the premise is simple: imagine Calvin and Hobbes are detectives in Sin City. Now swap out Calvin for Locke and Hobbes for Spencer, and you have one of the best, most original new series in recent memory. It’s written by David Pepose, with art by Jorge Santiago, Jr, colors by Jasen Smith, and letters by Colin Bell. The series is published by Action Lab: Danger Zone.

Spencer and Locke blew fans away last year, and the volume two looks to be upping the ante in a big way. The duo will face off against “their deadliest foe yet” in Roach Riley, a former soldier who’s basically an evil Beetle Bailey.

“We’ve told fans from the beginning that there was a much larger universe for SPENCER & LOCKE to explore — and we’re excited to expand their world further with their latest adversary, Roach Riley,” Pepose said. “Half The Deer Hunter, half Heath Ledger’s Joker, Roach is only the beginning of Locke’s latest gauntlet, as every classic comic strip from your childhood will be fair game for parody in our action-packed sequel.”

“I think people that enjoyed the first volume will love where SPENCER & LOCKE 2 takes them,” added Santiago. “In both scale and scope, Spencer and Locke will have a lot more riding on things with Roach lurking in the shadows.”

Spencer and Locke earned five nominations at the 2018 Ringo Awards, including Best Series, Best Writer, Best Cover Artist, Best Colorist and Best Letterer.

About Spencer and Locke 2:
Suspended by Internal Affairs, Detective Locke continues to wrestle with the demons of his past alongside his trusty partner, his talking imaginary panther Spencer. But when Spencer and Locke face Roach Riley, a scarred former soldier set on violence and terror, will their partnership become the latest casualty on Roach’s hit list? Find out when the twisted nostalgia of Action Lab’s SPENCER & LOCKE 2 arrives in comic shops and digital devices Winter 2019, or be one of the first to enjoy the story at San Diego Comic-Con with an exclusive variant of SPENCER & LOCKE 2 #1 by artist Joe Mulvey!

Are you excited for Spencer and Locke‘s return? Sound off in the comments!

Read our review of volume one’s first issue here, or hear us talk about the series on our podcast!

Monkeys Fighting Robots Youtube

Review: HOLLYWEED Is Classic Kevin Smith With Added Green(s)

By

Manuel Gomez

-

Kevin Smith returns to his Clerks roots with Hollyweed, an irreverent, charming, and funny new TV series about a Los Angeles pot dispensary and its employees and customers.

Hollyweed
Episode One ‘Pilot’
Starring: Kevin Smith, Donnel Rawlings, Frankie Shaw, Adam Brody, Ralph Garman and Jason Mewes
Written & Directed by: Kevin Smith

Hollyweed opens with two guys, Pete (Kevin Smith) and Nips (Donnel Rawlings), clipping weed plants while talking about pot and cracking jokes. The actors seem to be having fun, feeling each other out. The scene opens naturally and makes you chuckle, as any good sit-com cold open should. Fans will be instantly pleased to see that Smith still has a knack for witty dialog and observations. As the episode progresses, there are also some funny plot developments and supporting characters; it all flows easy enough in that comforting way sit-coms seem to unfold in.

If the show suffers anywhere it’s a bit with the acting. But that’s mostly in the very beginning. It like the cast (Smith included as an actor and director) are trying to get a feel for what to do. But at around the midway point, when Frankie Shaw (as Brookline/Janet) has her scene with Smith, the actors and crew seem to find their groove. Donnel Rawlings especially has a few great moments and line deliveries in the final scene.

Overall, a pilot just serves to give you a feel for the characters and tone, and in this case, it’s definitely warm. That’s exactly how the whole show feels. Warm. Like being pleasantly high on a random weekday afternoon with the right people at the perfect place. Hollyweed is definitely worth taking a hit on.

Monkeys Fighting Robots Youtube

THE GOOD PLACE

BOJACK HORSEMAN

KILLING EVE

BROOKLYN NINE-NINE

INSECURE

***SPOILERS LIE AHEAD***

The Flash War comes to an explosive, emotional, and fun close.

Story:

Art:

Conclusion:

SPOILERS LIE AHEAD