Review: ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT Season Five Has Flashes Of Brilliance

By

-

Arrested Development’s fifth season arrives on Netflix this Tuesday and will resonate with fans due to the sharp writing and commitment to continuity.

Some might be a little taken back by the show building upon the storylines from season four, but in reality, it does make a ton of sense. Arrested Development has always made a point to highlight the absurdity that stems from family dysfunction. Why would we gloss over so many unresolved storylines from the previous season? So what if everyone on the show has aged. We aren’t here to admire the appearances; fans want to know what schemes are being cooked up by the Bluth’s this time.

Michael (Jason Bateman) and George Michael (Michael Cera) are still dating Rebel Alley (who is supposed to be Ron Howard’s illegitimate daughter played by Isla Fisher). Lindsay (Portia De Rossi) is trying to gain her mother’s affection by running for political office and engaging in fear-mongering. Tobias (David Cross) and Lucille (Jessica Walter) are together more often this season, especially since he’s now her court-appointed therapist. George Sr. (Jeffrey Tambor) and Gob (Will Arnett) are going through an identity crisis (one that involves accidentally taking too much estrogen and the other magician named Tony Wonder played by Ben Stiller in season four). Buster’s story arc is without question the best of the new season and could quickly be ruined by giving even the littlest of details.

Easily the biggest takeaways from this new season are how strong a performer Walter and Hale can be. At times, he will make use of his whole body to embrace a moment resulting in hitting a comedic beat even harder. Whether it’s a posture, the positioning of his fake hand, or busting into a fake Lucielle impression, Hale’s comedic genius is entirely on display in season five.

Walter is perfect in the fifth season spewing those acerbic one-liners which only Lucille can get away with and in doing so reminding the world why she’s the most essential member of this cast. Arrested Development wouldn’t nearly be as well received without her performance as the matriarch of the Bluth family. Mitchell Hurwitz (the show’s creator) understands this. The same can’t be said about Tambor. In light of recent events and especially with how the new season unfolds, it wouldn’t shock me to see him departing the show.

The rest of the cast play essential roles in the execution of season five. What was different this season was how the writers did an effective job of weaving in all of the cast into the main storyline (again can’t say much without ruining it). Doing this allowed for the chemistry to build between the cast members which at times seemed missing in season four. Maeby (Alia Shawkat) and George Michael (Cera) certainly have an interesting dynamic this season which involves pain meds and being kissing cousins.

Overall, the new season of Arrested Development has very little lag and returns to what made the show a success in its first three seasons. It’s undoubtedly binge-worthy and sets up for an inevitable (yet entertaining) sixth season.

Monkeys Fighting Robots Youtube

Emilia Clarke Struggled To Act In SOLO Before Ron Howard Came Aboard

By

Jackson Hayes

-

May 27, 2018

Emilia Clarke is known for her powerful performances. The talented actress brought another one this weekend when she debuted as Qi’ra in Solo: A Star Wars Story. The only problem was that Clarke didn’t connect with the character right off the bat.

In an interview with Vanity Fair, Clarke revealed that before Ron Howard joined the film she struggled with notes from directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller:

“I’m not gonna lie. I struggled with Qi’ra quite a lot. I was like: ‘Y’all need to stop telling me that she’s “film noir,” because that ain’t a note.”

She went on to praise Howard’s ability as a director and how he kept the entire cast at ease:

He even feigned enthusiasm! I know for a fact he had that discussion with everybody. I think we all came to set feeling like his favorite. It makes for a really happy load of actors, with our egos.

The issues with Lord and Miller were no secret. According to sources inside the production, Han Solo actor Alden Ehrenreich had problems with the directing duo. It wasn’t until veteran director Ron Howard came into the picture that the production was able to get back on track.

Did you enjoy Solo: A Star Wars Story? Let us know in the comments below!

Solo: A Star Wars Story is now in theaters!

Board the Millennium Falcon and journey to a galaxy far, far away in Solo: A Star Wars Story, an all-new adventure with the most beloved scoundrel in the galaxy. Through a series of daring escapades deep within a dark and dangerous criminal underworld, Han Solo meets his mighty future copilot Chewbacca and encounters the notorious gambler Lando Calrissian, in a journey that will set the course of one of the Star Wars saga’s most unlikely heroes.

Monkeys Fighting Robots Youtube

SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY Domestic Opening Falls Short Of $100 Million

By

Nick Battaglia

-

May 27, 2018

Han Solo can claim the Millennium Falcon made the Kessel Run in twelve parsecs, however his movie is gonna need more time to make $100 million at the domestic box office. Solo: A Star Wars Story made $83.3 million during its opening weekend. When it comes to other live-action Star Wars movies, Solo is the first in the franchise to not have a $100 million opening since Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones ($80 million) in 2002.

However the biggest difference between the two films is their budgets. While Attack of the Clones made $302.1 million overall domestically, it cost $115 million to make. While the production budget on Solo has not been revealed, let’s look at two of the films that preceded it. Star Wars: The Force Awakens cost $245 million to make, and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story cost $200 million.

While Star Wars: The Last Jedi’s production budget is also unavailable, it’s safe to say both it and Han’s origin story are within that range. There are multiple reasons as to why the movie performed as it did. Some people cite Ron Howard’s replacing of Phil Lord and Christopher Miller made the movie feel disjointed. Others say they are not impressed with Alden Eherenreich’s portrayal of the famed smuggler.

It was recently revealed Ehrenreich signed a three-film deal with Lucasfilm, so for those who are not fans of him, it looks like he is here to stay. But let’s tether that news to another question. Is oversaturation becoming a problem in a galaxy far, far away? Back in 2012, Disney bought Lucasfilm for $4 billion. Since the release of The Force Awakens in 2015, the studio has made $2 billion domestically and $4.2 billion worldwide based on Box Office Mojo’s estimates.

So why is Disney making a harder push to get more and more Star Wars movies released over a shorter period of time? Why release a new movie every year, or every five to six months, and not every two or three? While the obvious answer is because they make a ton of money, there is another reason. Disney may have made its money back, but now it has to turn a profit as fast as it can with toy sales dropping. In an interview with Fortune, Gerrick Johnson, an analyst for BMO Capital Markets cited “movie fatigue” as a reason toy sales dropped last year.

Over 20 movies had toy tie-ins in 2017 including, of course, The Last Jedi. Prior to its release, Disney’s consumer products division sales dropped 13% to $4.83 billion for the fiscal year that ended on September 30. 38% of the toy industry’s entire revenue last year was credited to comic book and other classic characters. In 2013 Disney closed LucasArts, cancelling all of the upcoming games the studio had planned.

So despite making billions and owning nearly everything, it looks like Disney is hoping to profit off of Star Wars as fast and as much as they can. Even if that means burning out fans. The thing that hurts toy and ticket sales for Disney is outside of Rey, Kylo Ren, Finn, and Poe Dameron, they haven’t used the movies to create new memorable characters, or expand on characters outside of the Skywalker saga. Making the universe seem like a small sandbox. Especially with James Mangold recently being hired to write and direct a Boba Fett movie.

There are so many other characters and planets within the Star Wars universe. We don’t need to know the origins of every single one from the original trilogy. If you’re going to pump out as many Star Wars movies as possible, at least give us something and someone new and exciting.

Monkeys Fighting Robots Youtube

BLACK PANTHER Makes A Healthy Cosmic Landscape Even Healthier

By

Brandon J. Griffin

-

The cosmic frontier of Marvel’s 616 comic book universe has been having a slow-moving renaissance. Gerry Duggan’s Guardians Of The Galaxy and Infinity Countdown, along with Black Bolt and The Mighty Thor, have been leading the charge in making the cosmic side matter again. The new Black Panther series takes to the stars as well, Ta-Nehisi Coates looks to make a healthy landscape even healthier.

SPOILERS LIE AHEAD

The Intergalactic Empire Of Wakanda gives Coates a fresh canvas, an opportunity to tell a different story. Right out of the gate, things are not only different for our hero, but also his supporting cast.

Ta-Nehisi Coates’ run on Black Panther has been fantastic. This new path for him is sure to be a whole new monster narrative.

We’ve seen Black Panther in space before, but not like this. He’s stripped of his name and title before being thrown into a galactic mess that he’s got to find his way back to the throne.

This is the rare case where the movie success translates well into the comic books in two instances. The first being M’Baku and Nakia being T’Challa’s closest allies on his new space adventure. The other being that with multiple MCU cosmic successes (GOTG, Infinity War), Marvel and their talent are more willing to go cosmic.

The visual appeal of this issue is undeniable. Thrilling action sequences, flawlessly laid out, and stunning set pieces explode with color and tempo.

The art also does most of the heavy lifting story wise, T’Challa doesn’t have a whole lot to say. Daniel Acuña is an absolute show-stopper. He’s the driving force of this phenomenal introductory issue.

Black Panther #1 is a major home run every way you slice it. Top to bottom, it’s a dazzling spectacle. Ta-Nehisi Coates continues to build on his already impressive legacy at Marvel, this generates even more excitement for his upcoming Captain America as well.

Monkeys Fighting Robots Youtube

What Does The New Developments Mean For GODZILLA And KING KONG?

By

Anthony Wendel

-

May 25, 2018

It has recently been announced a sequel to Shin Godzilla has been cancelled in favor of a new Toho Cinematic Universe. What does this revelation mean for the King of the Monster and the Ruler of Skull Island? Time to break down the important parts of this news.

The Monsterverse

With the news Godzilla license will be up for Legendary Pictures after 2020 after the 4th installment in the Monsterverse, Godzilla vs. Kong, there is a lot of revelations moving forward. First off it means Godzilla will not be able to appear in the Monsterverse until a new licensing agreement is reached and this will not be possible until the new Toho Cinematic Universe comes to an end. A large amount of time will pass before the King of The Monsters can return to Legendary Studios. This leads to the obvious question: Will The Monsterverse end in 2020?

Not necessarily. If Legendary Studios wishes to continue there is a lot of potential for additional movies in the franchise not starring Godzilla. Having more movies featuring King Kong would be of great benefit to the character. The majority of King Kong’s movies have focused on retelling the original 1933 story of the creature being taken from his home and going wild in New York. More films featuring Kong on Skull Island or facing monsters which are not Godzilla would help to add more mythology or opponents to the character’s history.

There also is the possibility of other non-Toho giant monsters being introduced to the Monsterverse. Perhaps even slowly introduce a larger threat which can’t be stopped until all of the monsters come together to fight it together. Much like Thanos in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, a world destroying monster or even an alien invasion could all be possible plots develop until Godzilla is able to return to America to help in the fight.

A Toho Cinematic Universe

Now it’s time to look at what will come from Godzilla returning to his home studio with the intent of a Cinematic Universe. This was tried previously during the Heisei Period of Godzilla Films (1984-1995) where the events of the films greatly impacted one another moving forward. There was also a character which made an appearance in the majority of these films known as Miki Saegusa (played by Megumi Odaka). Still, there was still plot holes and elements which didn’t make sense. A new series of films where the actual intent is a continued story would be entertaining and not completely impossible for the studio to pull off.

A return to a Japanese studio would could also result in the dream film becoming reality. The legendary battle between two giant monsters who surprisingly still have never battled despite fans wanting them to face off. Godzilla would be able to meet Gamera in combat. Think of it! Godzilla vs. Gamera. The King of the Monsters against the Guardian of the Universe. It is the dream match fans have been desiring for years.

For now, all fans can do is wait to see what happens with this new development. At least they shouldn’t be concerned though as giant monsters always will never truly be gone.

—
What do you think of the new development? Leave a comment below and let us know.

Monkeys Fighting Robots Youtube

Review: Jason is Forced into the Spotlight in WONDER WOMAN #47

By

Jose "Jody" Cardona

-

While this issue of Wonder Woman is fun and intriguing, the story’s focus begins to unravel.

In the aftermath of the Dark Nights: Metal event, a new pantheon of gods have stepped out of the shadows. These Dark Gods have slowly been approaching Earth and are causing mass hysteria around the globe. Wonder Woman faces off against this hysteria in the form of Cheetah while her brother, Jason, begins his quest to learn of his armor. As Diana defeats her old foe, she discovers that it isn’t just the human population that is affected by the Dark Gods coming. Just as she does, she comes face-to-face with her next challenge, Supergirl. Will Wonder Woman be able to subdue a mad Kryptonian?

**Some Spoilers Below**

Story:

Wonder Woman has an all-out brawl with the Girl of Steel. While we don’t get an explanation of how she is affected by the Dark Gods, it is an awesome fight between two of the strongest women in the DC universe. Meanwhile, Jason meets with the Fates to learn the origin of his armor, as well as his purpose. It is revealed that the armor was made and blessed by the Greek Pantheon, giving him new powers. Zeus sensed the Dark Pantheon coming long ago and created it to have Jason help Diana.

The biggest problem in this issue is that it isn’t staying with the protagonist. While that is not uncommon, the summary above should be a clear indication of the imbalance. While Wonder Woman throws down, it’s her brother, a side character, that pushes the plot forward. Even in the ending, which reveals the Dark Gods, Jason is forced to the front while Diana is shuffled to the side. The story with Jason is an interesting one, but focusing on him when it’s not even his book seems wrong. Yes, building him as a character is good, but the spotlight is more on him when it should be shared.

Art:

The best part of the issue is without a doubt the art. Stephen Segovia is the illustrator for the issue, and he knocks it out of the park. Most of the fun from the fight between Wonder Woman and Supergirl is because of the quality of the artwork. You can feel the weight behind every blow between them thanks to the detail Segovia puts in his work. Romulo Fajardo Jr. continues to color the arc, and he continues to make the characters pop. These two work well together and gives us an incredible feast for the eyes to behold.

Conclusion:

While the fight is fun, I can’t say this was a great issue. It has its moments and does well in building the character of Jason. The art team makes the whole issue look fantastic, but even they can’t hide the problem. Even if this is Wonder Woman’s book, there needs to be a balance between our leads.

Monkeys Fighting Robots Youtube

James Mangold to Write & Direct BOBA FETT Spinoff Film

By

Aric Sweeny

-

May 24, 2018

A Boba Fett spinoff film is in the works with Logan director James Mangold writing and directing the project, per The Hollywood Reporter.

Fett was introduced in The Empire Strikes Back and then later seen in Return of the Jedi. His story was further developed in Attack of the Clones, revealing him as a child clone who was raised by Jango Fett. Though a minor role in the series, Fett is regarded as a fan favorite Star Wars character.

Mangold is known for the Oscar nominated Logan, which was up for Best Adapted Screenplay. The film truly showed the humanity in Wolverine and was a beautiful sendoff to the iconic character. If the director can bring that same energy and passion to the Boba Fett film, the Star Wars universe has potential to see a great spinoff revolving around the admired character.

A past rumor stated that Simon Kinberg was working on a Boba Fett script, and it’s unknown whether this project is the same one. Mangold and Kinberg previously worked together on Logan.

Are you looking forward to the Boba Fett spinoff film? Comment below, let us know!

Monkeys Fighting Robots Youtube

Liam Neeson To Join Men In Black Spinoff

By

Parish Hodges

-

May 24, 2018

The Taken star is currently in talks to join Sony’s upcoming Men In Black.

If the deal goes through Neeson will Join Chris Hemsworth and Tessa Thompson.

The producer of Straight Outta Compton and The Fate of the Furious, F. Gary Gray is set to direct.

According to Variety, in the film Neeson will play head of Men In Black agency in the U.K.

The original Men In Black film franchise began in 1997 and starred Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones who played agents of the secret MIB organization.

The spinoff is set to hit theaters May 17, 2019. Until then you can catch Liam Neeson in his upcoming project Widows out Nov. 16 2018)

Monkeys Fighting Robots Youtube

‘Solo: A Star Wars Story’ – Movie Review

By

Kieran McLean

-

May 24, 2018

In the latest episode of Kieran’s Movie Space, Kieran delivers his spoiler-free review of the latest Star Wars adventure, Solo: A Star Wars Story. Is the Han Solo movie a worthy addition to the Star Wars franchise? Is Alden Ehrenreich a good Han Solo? Listen to the review below and find out!

More – Kieran’s Movie Space Ep.4 – Jake Gyllenhaal Cast As Mysterio In Spider-Man Sequel

Kieran’s Movie Space is a new podcast, in which Kieran McLean discusses and reviews the latest movies and television shows.

Listen to the episode below:

Young Han Solo finds adventure when he joins a gang of galactic smugglers, including a 196-year-old Wookie named Chewbacca. Indebted to the gangster Dryden Vos, the crew devises a daring plan to travel to the mining planet Kessel to steal a batch of valuable coaxium. In need of a fast ship, Solo meets Lando Calrissian, the suave owner of the perfect vessel for the dangerous mission — the Millennium Falcon.

Solo: A Star Wars Story is directed by Ron Howard and stars Alden Ehrenreich, Donald Glover, Woody Harrelsen, Emilia Clarke, Paul Bettany and Phoebe Waller-Bridge.

Monkeys Fighting Robots Youtube

Michael Keaton To Return in SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING Sequel

By

Aric Sweeny

-

May 24, 2018

After portraying Adrian Toomes, The Vulture, in Spider-Man: Homecoming, Michael Keaton will be reprising his role in the sequel, reports Variety.

Toomes was last seen in prison, being confronted by a man asking for the identity of Spider-Man. He doesn’t give Spidey’s name, suggesting he still has business to take care of with the web-slinger.

Jake Gylenhaal is currently in talks to star as Mysterio in the untitled Homecoming sequel, which would set up an interesting dynamic between the two villains. Both characters are members of the Sinister 6 and have worked together in the comics; Marvel hasn’t hinted at it just yet, but the next Spider-Man could certainly begin building the Sinister 6.

Joining Keaton in the next Spider-Man installment is Tom Holland, Zendaya, Marissa Tomei, and Jacob Batalon. The movie swings into theaters on July 5, 2019.

Are you excited about Vulture’s return? Will he and Gylenhaal’s Mysterio team up against Spidey? Speculate below, in the comments section!

Monkeys Fighting Robots Youtube

***SPOILERS LIE AHEAD***

The Monsterverse

A Toho Cinematic Universe

Story:

Art:

Conclusion:

The Taken star is currently in talks to join Sony’s upcoming Men In Black.

SPOILERS LIE AHEAD