Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom is not a fresh or original installment in the series, but it does leave the door open to take the franchise in a more interesting direction.
*Warning: Spoilers Ahead for Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom*
When the volcano on Isla Nublar goes active, Claire Dearing (Bryce Dallas Howard) and Owen Grady (Chris Pratt) are sent in to help rescue whatever dinosaurs they can for preservation. Obviously, all is not as it seems, and the dinosaurs are actually going to be auctioned off for various reasons (the leading one being military).
Now, there isn’t anything in Fallen Kingdom that we haven’t seen in a Jurassic Park movie before. There’s a double-cross by a shady organization, lots of talk about playing God, and weaponizing dinosaurs. Oh, and the Indominus rex is back from Jurassic World, except now they turned it into a raptor (the “Indoraptor”).
Not helping matters are a bunch of boring, cookie-cutter characters spouting clichéd dialogue. Outside of the two stars and one little girl (who’s actually the best part of the movie), there aren’t any characters that you’ll bother remembering. Seriously, there are two stock characters that disappear for a huge chunk of the movie, and I didn’t realize they were missing until they showed back up. It’s not the actors fault; it’s just boring writing.
With all that said, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom isn’t a terrible film. It’s certainly not even the worst Jurassic film. You can turn your brain off and enjoy it just fine for what it is. But seeing this same formula play out over and over again is tiring, and general audiences probably won’t have the patience to go through it another time.
However, Fallen Kingdom ends in a way that gives hope for the future of this franchise.
After stopping the auction halfway through, the heroes are faced with a choice: let the dinosaurs die, or set them free in the modern world. Long story short, they set the dinosaurs free.
We’re now in unprecedented territory in these films. This isn’t a T-rex loose in San Diego. Many dinosaurs – both peaceful and vicious – are now out in the wild. Plus, the auction was halfway over when it was stopped, which means that people successfully bought dinosaurs. There are global superpowers out there now with these creatures.
Can you imagine what this means for the future of these films? We should never have to see another “the dinosaurs are loose in the park” or “we have to go back to the island” movie again. Filmmakers have the freedom to take this franchise in whatever direction they want, and they should explore that to new heights, in various genres.
Like a war film, obviously titled Jurassic World War, now that other countries have possession of dinosaurs. Or better yet, a true horror film. Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom is at its best when it shifts to a darker, scarier tone, but it never seems to commit to that. A full-on horror movie in this world would be amazing.
The point is, the future of this franchise is bright for the first time in a long time. Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom may be another predictable, clichéd chapter, but at least by blowing up the island and setting the dinosaurs free it forces its successors to be original.
Warner Brothers and MGM followed up the release of the teaser poster for Creed II by dropping the first trailer for this highly anticipated sequel on Wednesday. Creed was critically acclaimed and praised by fans around the globe. We don’t get a great look at Adonis’s opponent (who is the son of Ivan Drago), but the tone of Creed II is evident. Here is the trailer!
For everyone who didn’t get a chance to see the summary (which was released yesterday), here is that as well.
Life has become a balancing act for Adonis Creed. Between personal obligations and training for his next big fight, he is up against the challenge of his life. Facing an opponent with ties to his family’s past only intensifies his impending battle in the ring. Rocky Balboa is there by his side through it all and, together, Rocky and Adonis will confront their shared legacy, question what’s worth fighting for, and discover that nothing’s more important than family. Creed II is about going back to basics to rediscover what made you a champion in the first place, and remembering that, no matter where you go, you can’t escape your history.
Image via MGM
What are your thoughts about the trailer? Could Creed II have the same tragic tone that Rocky IV has? Fans will learn all once Creed II opens up nationwide on November 21st.
Canadians got another look at our fair country this week in “Smart Power” and all viewers were reminded of how important it is for June to get her, her daughter Hannah, and her unborn child out of Gilead. Although June had always planned on getting out, her escape plans will have to get underway sooner than she once thought. Serena has made it clear that once the baby is born “Offred” will no longer be welcome in her and Fred’s home.
It was good to see Luke and Moira have a rare win for their side, but the canceled trade negotiations between Gilead and Canada didn’t get either of them any closer to bringing June and Hannah home.
The Handmaid’s Tale Season 2, Episode 9: “Smart Power” – “Yes, Mrs. Waterford.”
After the brutal whipping she sustained at Fred’s hands in “Women’s Work,” Serena has withdrawn noticeably from her husband. She works in her potting shed tending to the mould that threatens her plants. Fred orders her to accompany him on his trade mission to Canada, saying that his delegation will benefit from being able to show the canucks what a strong Gilead wife looks like. It takes some convincing, but she agrees to go — after all, it’s not like she actually has a choice.
Of course, crap flows downhill, so it’s an officious Serena that visits June and tells her that once the baby is born June will be leaving the house. This troubles June who reminds Serena that the handmaid usually stays to nurse the baby until it’s weaned. Serena knows this but tells June that she figures they’ve all had enough of each other. June agrees with a weak “Yes, Mrs. Waterford,” and that’s that.
The Handmaid’s Tale Season 2, Episode 9: “Smart Power” – “We just adore the AGO.”
Being driven through the mean streets of Toronto, Serena takes in the sights, including the architecturally unique Roy Thomson Hall, some homeless folks, and a couple — probably unmarried :-O — necking on the street. When the Waterfords arrive at the site of the trade negotiations, they get a somewhat frosty welcome from the Canadian trade delegation, which includes a gay man who recalls how much he used to love going to the States … with his husband.
Fred tries to sweep this bit of unpleasantness under the rug, and the trade delegation walks off leaving Serena with her handler, a woman named Genevieve. Genevieve gives Serena her itinerary for the day, a series of illustrations one might hand out to students on an elementary school field trip.
Genevieve questions Serena about her hobbies, and Serena describes herself as an avid gardener and then lies and says she also loves to knit.
The Handmaid’s Tale Season 2, Episode 9: “Smart Power” – Canadian Riesling, worth committing treason for
Having lost Genevieve, Serena goes to a bar and orders herself a glass of Riesling. A man walks up and orders a Scotch neat and proceeds to light a cigarette — a serious no-no in any Toronto bar since 2005. The bartender tells him that he will have to go outside, but the man extinguishes his smoke instead.
Serena retires to her own table and the man follows. She tells him that she doesn’t speak to strange men, especially when they’re spies. The man, Mark, eventually admits to working for the American government, apparently operating out of Hawaii. He offers her a chance to board a plane that night for Honolulu if she’ll agree to defect. When Serena refuses, Mark suggests that her infertility could be cured by the right doctors and even suggests that the problem is Fred’s, not hers.
But Serena is a tough cookie so, apparently getting nowhere, he eventually leaves Serena to her drink. As he does, though, he leaves behind his Hawaii-themed matchbook, which Serena pockets.
The Handmaid’s Tale Season 2, Episode 9: “Smart Power” – “You must be mistaken; my handmaid’s name is ‘Offred.’”
A day of negotiations finished, Fred and Serena, with Nick along for the ride, are driven to their hotel. As they arrive, a group of protestors waits outside the front doors. A police barricade prevents people from breaking through, but Luke, holding a placard featuring an enlarged photo of him, June, and Hannah pushes his way past. He runs at Fred but police restrain him as Luke screams that Fred is raping his wife. Confronted with the cold reality of their actions, Serena and Nick are both taken aback, but Fred continues on as detached as ever.
Later in their hotel room, Fred tells Serena that, though the interaction with “the husband” was unpleasant, they must soldier on.
The Handmaid’s Tale Season 2, Episode 9: “Smart Power” – “Uhh, I also had sex with your wife…”
Tracking Luke down at a bar, Nick tells the lonely husband that June is safe but pregnant again. Nick lies and says that Waterford fathered the unborn baby June is carrying. Getting angry, Luke yells at Nick and pushes him away — I bet Nick was happy he didn’t tell Luke that he actually fathered June’s unborn baby — but Luke thinks better of it and asks Nick how June is doing and if he has any news of their daughter Hannah. Nick tells Luke that he doesn’t know about Hannah, and then hands off the package of Marthas’ and handmaids’ letters.
Back at the apartment Luke shares with Moira and Erin, Moira is upset that the package from Nick isn’t something obviously helpful like instructions on how to rescue her or a package of C4. The three realize, though, that what they hold is potentially far more powerful than a bomb. They publish the letters online and hope that the Canadian trade delegation is watching.
The Handmaid’s Tale Season 2, Episode 9: “Smart Power” – Ongoing trade problems with Canada
Mirroring current events quite startlingly, Gilead’s trade negotiations with Canada fall apart. But rather than unfair tariffs being the cause, these negotiations end because of the published handmaids’ letters. Fred, Serena, and Nick are met with a throng of protestors when they arrive at the airport, including Moira waving a sign that reads “My name is Moira.” A closeup of Moira, who previously worked at Jezebel’s, reveals how she felt about Fred calling her “Ruby.”
The Handmaid’s Tale Season 2, Episode 9: “Smart Power” – “But what about June?!”
While all of this has been going on, June has been securing friends who will protect her baby once it’s born. The Waterfords’ “Martha,” Rita, agrees, albeit somewhat reluctantly, and in addition to Rita June also gets a very powerful ally on her baby’s side, Aunt Lydia. She tells Rita flat-out that she is worried Fred will abuse the child, and boldly hints at the potential for abuse when talking to Aunt Lydia.
With the trade negotiations cut short, Fred, Serena, and Nick return home. A late-night visit from Nick is a welcome change of routine for June, but the news he brings is better still.
Nick tells June that he saw Luke and gave him the handmaids’ letters, and he tells her that it was Luke’s publishing the handmaids’ letters that ended the negotiations. Nick reports that Luke loves her, says he’ll never stop, and also tells June that Moira is safe and living with Luke. Showing that he’s a pretty good dude stuck in a weird situation, Nick also tells June that he loves her before leaving her room.
These pieces of great news bolster June’s spirits, and as the episode ends we see a reinvigorated June say “f*ck that” to resigning herself to accepting that her baby will be born in Gilead.
The Handmaid’s Tale Season 2, Episode 9: “Smart Power” – Final Thoughts
I thought that Yvonne Strahovski as Serena did some of her best work in this episode. Her inner conflicts were obvious to the viewer, but the degree of complexity she put into her performance made these inner conflicts believable. Although we see Serena burn the book of matches at the end of this episode, one wonders if she’s as into the whole forced breeding thing as she used to be. How does a strong and intelligent woman accept a life of infertility and enforced domesticity with the offer of fertility and freedom hanging in the balance?
With just four episodes left in the second season, it’s difficult to say where this season will end. I figure the final episode of the second season will feature the birth of June and Nick’s child, and with a third season already green-lighted, fans won’t have to worry that their favourite dystopian speculative fiction show will be canceled with loose threads hanging off of it.
J.A. Bayona’s Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom utilizes eye-popping imagery, intricate set design, Michael Giacchino’s lush orchestral melodies, and relentless action sequences to create an enjoyable experience which fans will enjoy.
What was evident from the onset is Bayona didn’t set out to emulate any of the previous films in this franchise. The director seems to understand that fans have already seen these dinosaurs on an island in any number of scenarios and craved a new direction. Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom takes many risks which indeed pay-off creating a new path for the next film which is already in development.
The film centers on the aftermath of the dino-centric adventure park coming unhinged resulting in dinosaurs running wild across Isla Nublar. These dinosaurs face imminent extinction due to a suddenly active volcano (go with it). Benjamin Lockwood (James Cromwell) is a colleague of the late John Hammond (Richard Attenborough) and wishes to save these creatures by relocating them to a sanctuary. Lockwood entrusts the head of his foundation, Eli Mills (Rafe Spall) to work out the logistics of rescuing them.
His first call is to Claire Dearing (Bryce Dallas Howard), who happens to be running a non-profit dedicated to the preservation of dinosaurs. Mills convinces her to sign on to the mission and persuades Dearing to reach out to her former beau Owen Grady (Chris Pratt) to assist in their quest. Joining them on the trip back to Isla Nublar are Zia (Daniela Pineda), Franklin (Winston Justice), and a security team led by Ken (Ted Levine). However, could someone on the trip have ulterior motives?
Chris Pratt in ‘Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom’
Derek Connolly and Colin Trevorrow crafted a storyline which poses some interesting questions. Just because we can create these creatures, is it ethical to do so? Should we make money of off these or any animals in captivity? Do we share a portion for these animals being in captivity, to begin with? Connolly and Trevorrow’s narrative doesn’t provide us with any answers to these ethical dilemmas allowing audiences to reach their conclusions. My only concern about Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom is the storyline at times felt a bit scattered, but it wasn’t enough to dampen my enthusiasm while watching the film. Overall, it does provide an effective structure for this saga to go in a new direction.
Bayona’s direction is much more stylish than Trevorrow’s. Jurrasic World had more of a simplistic yet effective approach as the film stayed more action-centric using the disaster on Isla Nublar as a bridge between one sequence to the next. The method was familiar yet highly effective for the man who will return to the director’s chair in Jurrasic World III. Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom provided Bayona with a rich canvas to paint his dino-centric vision. The film uses an abundance of imagery rife with contrasting colors (dark colors, light colors, shades of red, shades of blue, green) creating this look of a constant struggle between sides (my guess is man vs. nature).
Chris Pratt in ‘Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom’
My favorite image was the scene as they left the island with the Brachiosaurus watching from the dock. We get to see the lava approach the prehistoric creature, and the smoke engulfs him just as he cried out to them. The mixture of crimson red and dark smoke combined with the ocean in the foreground not only emphasized the majestic beauty of these creatures but the tragic events unfolding. Bayona also showed such savvy making use of intricate sets and ambient sound.
The second and third acts of Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom takes place in a gothic style 19th-century mansion (Lockwood’s Home). Every available inch of the home – dark corners, secret elevators, oddly shaped displays of fossils, and secret fourth-floor laboratories are utilized to ramp up the tension as we quickly headed towards our resolution. Who wouldn’t be freaked out by an “Indoraptor” (a genetically created dinosaur) chasing them down a corridor? This setting also provided a golden opportunity for Bayona to use ambient noise to his advantage. Whether it was a slight tap, snapping stairs, or smashing glass, each sound heightens the experience for everyone in the theater.
Pratt and Howard are solid and add moments of levity which was much appreciated. Jeff Goldblum’s return as Dr. Ian Malcolm is more of a cameo and serves as a prologue and epilogue to the film. Oscar Faura’s cinematography made use of sweeping camera shots to emphasize both the beauty of their surroundings and the eerieness of their surroundings. Andy Nicholson’s stellar production design provided Bayona with the tools needed for his vision to be fully realized. Giacchino’s score strikes a majestic yet tragic tone.
Overall, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom is a thunderous romp that’s visually appealing, highly entertaining, and takes the franchise in a fresh new direction.
In this episode of Kieran’s Movie Space, Kieran discusses and reviews the first official trailer for the latest instalment of the Rocky franchise, CREED II. Does the trailer tease a great sequel? Should we be worried that Ryan Coogler isn’t directing CREED II? Find out what I think in the episode below!
Kieran’s Movie Space is an insightful, fun and reliable new podcast for fans of all things cinema. Host Kieran McLean delivers in-depth reviews of the latest movie releases, from small indie movies to massive blockbusters.
Listen to the episode below:
Life has become a balancing act for Adonis Creed. Between personal obligations and training for his next big fight, he is up against the challenge of his life. Facing an opponent with ties to his family’s past only intensifies his impending battle in the ring. Rocky Balboa is there by his side through it all and, together, Rocky and Adonis will confront their shared legacy, question what’s worth fighting for, and discover that nothing’s more important than family. Creed II is about going back to basics to rediscover what made you a champion in the first place, and remembering that, no matter where you go, you can’t escape your history.
CREED II stars Michael B. Jordan, Sylvester Stallone, Tessa Thompson, Wood Harris, Russell Hornsby, Florian “Big Nasty” Munteanu, Andre Ward, Phylicia Rashad and Dolph Lundgren.
The film will land in theatres on November 21!
Make sure you hit the like button, subscribe and review the podcast! Alternatively, you can subscribe to the Monkeys Fighting Robots newsletter to be notified when new episodes are available, plus amazing content!
Longtime Amazing Spider-Man writer, Dan Slott, hangs em’ up. Issue #801 is a touching final goodbye to the character and fans before the veteran creator web-swings off into the sunset.
***SPOILERS LIE AHEAD***
Love him or hate him, you’ve got to respect the tenure. Dan Slott has been writing Spider-Man for ten years. That’s longer than a lot of very talented people last in this industry as a whole, let alone on one title.
“There For You” is a love letter to Spider-Man and his fans from quite possibly his biggest fan, Dan Slott. We go back to the early days of Peter Parker’s crime-fighting. Spidey stops a routine burglary and keeps one man from having the worst day of his life. We spend the rest of the issue seeing what that one man does with the life he had saved by our favorite web-head.
The idea that Spider-Man may not save the entire world every day, but save’s someone’s whole world is beautiful. Slott goes for the gut and reminds us all why we love this character so much, and superheroes in general for that matter.
Readers will experience a heavy dose of heart to go along with plenty of chuckles and smirks. Slott keeps his grand finale short and sweet. Amazing Spider-Man #800 was his big epic action finale, which was also flawlessly executed. ASM #801 is a much more intimate short story that gets the point across in spectacular fashion.
Artist Marcos Martin transports us back to the early days with Spidey’s old costume design. The posing and body language are also wonderful call-backs to the first sightings of Amazing Spider-Man. Martin also loads us up with the emotional impact this touching tale needed to fully land. Colorist Muntsa Vicente does a splendid job breathing another layer of life into these panels, especially in the convenience store robbery.
The sentiment illustrated and dictated in this issue is one that readers can reference when asked why they love Spider-Man. Mr. Slott, we thank you for your time and all of your entries into the Amazing Spider-Man continuity. Good luck on your new adventures!
Slott will be writing Fantastic Four and Tony Stark: Iron Man for Marvel going forward.
The Man of Steel is able to blend action and emotion in this week’s issue.
Last week’s issue of The Man of Steel went for the heartstrings of its readers. Rogol Zaar is an ancient warrior, responsible for the destruction of Krypton. He believes that Kryptonians are a threat to the galaxy and swears to put an end to all of them. When he had heard of the survivors on Earth, he proceeded to make his way to the planet, finding the Fortress of Solitude. He proceeds to put his plan into action by destroying the Fortress, as well as the bottled Kryptonian city of Kandor. By the time Superman and Supergirl find out, the deed has been done and Kandor is destroyed. They find Rogol waiting for them in the heart of Metropolis, ready to finish the job he started. Will there be justice for Kandor?
**Some Spoilers Below**
Story:
This story is divided into two halves. The first half of the issue is a devastating battle between Rogol and the Man of Steel. It shows off how skilled a warrior Rogol is as he is five steps ahead of Superman the entire fight. Superman notes how Rogol waits for him and Supergirl to slip up due to an emotional reaction. It just goes to show that this character might be the most dangerous adversary to the Man of Steel so far in the Rebirth era.
The second half of the story is where the emotion is. Where the first half is a comic book fight, this half has our Kryptonians feel the impact as the anger settles. It is done very well through Supergirl, someone who was more connected with the lost city. There is a tremendously emotional moment at the very end of the issue when the man of steel goes to try to talk to his father through his computer but realizes that Rogol destroyed that too. In the span of four issues, Brian Michael Bendis took apart Superman’s whole world. Bendis has me intrigued, but I worry about where this goes next.
Art:
Kevin Maguire is the main artist on this issue, and I’m not a fan of it. I couldn’t get into the art as much as I’d hoped I would do to it feeling flat. With a comic like this, the characters should look like they’re able to pop right off the page. This comment, however, despite some cool action, there wasn’t that pop necessary. Add that to strangely drawn faces, and we have the weakest art entry to the series.
Conclusion:
Despite the art, this issue of The Man of Steel is still very well done. We have some kickass action mixed with heart-wrenching emotion in the world of the man of steel, and I just can’t get enough. We have two issues to go, and this reviewer can’t wait to see how this all wraps up.
John Travolta’s Gotti was released last weekend and dominated headlines for all the wrong reasons. The film was reviewed by 25 critics on Rotten Tomatoes and earned an astounding freshness rating of 0%.
This dubious distinction marks the third time in Travolta’s career a project of his has earned such an honor.
Dennis Rice (the publicist for Gotti) was quoted in Deadline stating “Clearly, critics are out of touch with the people who actually vote with their pocketbooks.”
Well, that’s not even close to accurate because according to Boxofficemojo.com, Gotti was shown in 500 theaters and only brought in $1.7 million for the weekend. If anything this signals resounding disapproval of the subject matter let alone the apparent problems with the actual film. Well, the marketing team behind Gotti is sticking by their story in true mafioso fashion and released this brand new ad on social media.
Audiences loved Gotti but critics don’t want you to see it… The question is why??? Trust the people and see it for yourself! pic.twitter.com/K6a9jAO4UH
Apparently, their marketing strategy is straight out of the Gambino crime family manual. Critics are now the enemy, and the people adore Gotti. Never mind the film made hardly any money and was almost beaten by a documentary about Fred Rogers. Never mind the fact they showed the film to only a select few critics which narrows their sample size. So where is the proof which shows critics are the enemy and indicates Gotti as a great film? Well, it appears the basis for this comes from the audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. Kudos to critic Dan Murrell for stumbling upon thee discrepancies with these audience numbers. Check out this first tweet –
Look how many users left a rating for Gotti. Now look at how many left one for Incredibles 2. These numbers shouldn't be on par with each other. Incredibles 2 did over 100 times the business Gotti did – and opened in 3500 more theaters. pic.twitter.com/oeVFrhnNvv
How exactly does a film have nearly the same audience number but opens in 3,000 more theaters and made 180 million last week at the box-office? Look at the second tweet –
Gotti has MORE user ratings than Ocean's 8. Again, a movie that has done MUCH more business, opened in more theaters, and has been out a week longer. pic.twitter.com/SjqE9jFCf1
So now we have a film that has made much money than Gotti ever will and has fewer audience reviews? Not Possible! My favorite example is in this last tweet –
For comparison, the film Beirut opened in a similar number of theaters, to a similar amount at the box office. Total user ratings: 708 over two months. Just over 10% what Gotti has received in four days. pic.twitter.com/kvo4a9ETSP
Two films that opened in the same amount of theaters and the audience numbers are not even close.
John Travolta in ‘Gotti’
It’s pretty clear what the people behind ‘Gotti’ are trying to do. Instead of spending all of this time trying to make critics (who you didn’t screen the movie for) out to be the bad guy, Vertical Entertainment should concentrate on developing a better film which reflects who Gotti was and not what Travolta portrayed him to be.
From Daredevil to Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, and The Defenders, costume designer Stephanie Maslansky is responsible for the sleek styles of our favorite Marvel shows on Netflix.
The veteran costume design began with an indie short film in 1988 called the Wizards of Loneliness. A few years later she worked on the cockroach-infested movie Joe’s Apartment. The work never stopped coming for Stephanie and with good reason. She’s a bit of a sewing savant whose work is now part of a massive entity known as the Marvel Universe. Monkeys Fighting Robots spoke with Stephanie, who was in Budapest, about her career and what it means to do what she does.
“I had an ‘a-ha’ moment …”
At an early age, Stephanie was crafty and received a sewing machine as a gift which she loved “I didn’t know that I wanted to be a costume designer but I certainly was drawn to the skills required to be one.”
Stephanie had the skills and the passion “I love clothing, fashion, the history of styles.” However, a bit of a nature versus nurture battle took place “I came from a very academic family and felt I should study something very academic. Write history books or something.”
At the age of 23 and fresh out of college, Stephanie says “I had an ‘a-ha’ moment … I walked by a woman’s clothing store where there were some beautiful period costumes.” And then the spark arrived, and Stephanie said to herself “I could do that.”
“I love what I do.”
There was a bit of doubt for Stephanie who’d spent four years at college getting a degree in history. But looking back at a 30-year career Stephanie exclaims with fervor “I love it. I love what I do.”
For aspiring costume designers out there, the process to get a story from page to picture is a fascinating mix of meetings and creativity. “I do presentations for each character using pictures, drawings, etc. You sort of visualize it for the people in charge who know what they want but can’t quite see it. I see it for them. Ideally.” We laugh.
“I miss my dog.”
The subtle effect of costumes is one of many jobs in filmmaking that often only gets noticed when something is wrong. “I want my costumes to be noticed and then forgotten about so that there is no distraction to the story or dialogue.”
The power of a good or bad costume is often subconscious for most viewers. “In a flash, in a microsecond, people notice what they’re seeing and then it’s gone as the story continues.”
It’s about here where my dog barked, and we talked about dogs for about 10 minutes. “I miss my dog.” Stephanie’s pooch did not make the trip to Budapest.
“Most costumes designers are really good at
one or two of those, not all three.”
With so much content in the world, what current designers does Stephanie admire “There are a few. I think Ellen Mirojnick is really phenomenal; Milena Canonero is also phenomenal; and Colleen Atwood. Those are probably my top three costume designers.”
Why does the work of those three women stand out? “Primarily because they can do period, fantasy, and modern dress. Most costumes designers are really good at one or two of those, not all three.”
“The clothing company loves us.”
Luke Cage season two starts June 22nd on Netflix. How many identical versions of costumes do they have on a show where people get shot, burn, crushed, or worse? “A lot. The clothing company loves us.”
What’s it like shooting a thirteen-episode series like Luke Cage? “We shoot about one episode every twelve days, and it’s one after the other.” If the early reviews are correct, Stephanie will be working on a third season soon.
There’s a break for Stephanie with the Marvel shows, so what’s she working on now? “A series called Berlin Station, it’s on Epix, it’s about the CIA, and secrets, and lies. It’s a great show. We’re working on the third season.”
Warner Brothers and MGM decided to join the recent onslaught of movie companies making news by releasing the first teaser poster for Creed II. Creed exceeded expectations both in the quality of the film and how much it made both domestically and abroad. Michael B. Jordan is very present in this first poster, and the style of it looks very familiar. Check it out!
What’s immediately striking to me is how the use of Roman numerals is a simple way to connect the Creed franchise with Rocky’s. If anyone were to google the posters from previous Rocky films, Stallone is always near the center of the design. The use of dark colors seems foreboding of what’s to come for Adonis (Jordan). They also teased the debut of the trailer on Wednesday. Probably the best gift we got was the release of our first synopsis of the film. Here it is!
Life has become a balancing act for Adonis Creed. Between personal obligations and training for his next big fight, he is up against the challenge of his life. Facing an opponent with ties to his family’s past only intensifies his impending battle in the ring. Rocky Balboa is there by his side through it all and, together, Rocky and Adonis will confront their shared legacy, question what’s worth fighting for, and discover that nothing’s more important than family. Creed II is about going back to basics to rediscover what made you a champion in the first place, and remembering that, no matter where you go, you can’t escape your history.
There’s a lot of interesting bits of information in the summary of Creed II. They mention Adonis having a big fight with an opponent who has a shared legacy with Rocky (Stallone) and ties to his family. With the casting of Dolph Lundgren in Creed II, could this be a match against Drago’s son? Did Sylvester Stallone construct the sequel in such way that Adonis could avenge his father’s death? Whatever the answer may be, we should get clarity on Wednesday.
