DC NATION #0 Review: The Daily Planet Sets The Stage for Bendis’ Superman in OFFICE SPACE

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There are big things coming to the DC Universe over the summer, all of which are set up in DC Nation #0.

Batman and Catwoman prepare for the wedding of the year, as well as prepare for any villains crashing it. New Justice Leagues form to face a threat on the galaxy as a whole. Then there is what is happening to Superman, which for the most part has been shrouded in mystery. All we know is that there is an alien invader that wants to wipe out the Kryptonian race. This story, as well as the series that follows, is written by Brian Michael Bendis, and his third of the issue is the prologue. What changes have come to Metropolis with the change in creative team? While lacking action, this story will leave readers intrigued enough to pick up the next chapter in Bendis’ Superman story.

**Spoilers Below**

Story:

As Clark returns to the Daily Planet from a story in South America, Perry White is looking for better stories for Superman. He reminds his staff that Superman is a good guy and need to step up their game in terms of reporting. The reason for this is because Lois Lane has left the Daily Planet, which we don’t learn why here. When Clark shows up, Perry takes him into his office and asks him to essentially write stories with more emotion. While all of this is happening, however, a new reporter secretly plots a take over the Daily Planet.

This story is going to be a bit divisive when it comes to readers. One reader might see this as boring and just want to see Superman smash big things, which we get in quick flashbacks. Another might be hooked by the questions this story laid out. Who is this reporter? Why does she want the Daily Planet? Where is Lois Lane?

This reviewer falls into the latter category, due to the surprising amount of change from something that seems so small. The entire tone of the Daily Planet seems to have shifted, changing Superman’s life. What was your old school newsroom has slowed down and you are left curious about what has caused this.

Art:

Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez does a fine job of illustrating the story. With the story being more grounded, Garcia-Lopez didn’t get much of a chance to draw something extraordinary, however. Whenever he had a chance to draw Superman in action, it was good, but for the most part, this issue only required some simple design. Alex Sinclair took point on colors and it fit the story well. It kept more muted colors to fit the office setting and it works. The team might not have explosions and colors, but the story they worked with, they did their job well.

Conclusion:

This story does a great job to entice people for the Man of Steel miniseries at the end of the month. It gives enough information to set the stage but still allows mysteries to brew just beneath the surface. The simple office setting allows a simple, more grounded look and feels, which I expect will happen less as we get more Superman action moving forward. This story promises an intriguing journey in the next few weeks and I can’t wait for it.

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Review: BACKSTABBING FOR BEGINNERS Reaches New Levels Of Boredom

By

Dewey Singleton - Film Critic

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Per Fly’s Backstabbing For Beginners is plagued by a meandering narrative and a less than inspired performance from Theo James.

While the idea of retelling one of the greatest scandals to hit the United Nations seems promising, one has to take a second look at the whole tale. The “Oil for Food” scandal impacted hundreds of companies around the world and implicated corruption in dozens of governments as well. How can someone tell this story in an accurate yet entertaining way? Some stories are best shown in a documentary, if for no other reason than to ensure accuracy. Unfortunately, this approach wasn’t taken.

Based on the memoir of Michael Sullivan, Backstabbing For Beginners recounts the tale of Sullivan (James) and his rise to prominence as he works in the United Nations as an undersecretary for a diplomat from Cyprus named Pasha (Ben Kingsley). Pasha’s pride and joy is telling the world how successful his “Oil for Food” campaign is. Sullivan is given a golden opportunity to deliver a report to the United Nations Security Council, selling them on the idea of continuing to fund the program. Since Sullivan is an idealist, he doesn’t realize the corruption that runs throughout the program. Will he be able to expose the dirty dealings weighing down “Oil for Food”?

Unfortunately, Fly and co-screenwriter Daniel Pyne’s narrative is full of uninteresting details about the scandal that would only pique the interest of a political science major. While I understand the need for accuracy, Backstabbing for Beginners should have taken more advantage of artistic license. By doing so, what could have been more exciting moments are burdened by dull, dragged-out sequences. Do we need to know, for example, the name of the paperwork that Sullivan submitted to get his lady friend back in New York?

Also, did we need to add in specific tropes on top of all these additional facts to the storyline? While Sullivan’s developing feelings for the translator injects elements of intrigue, those are quickly bogged down by all of these useless nuggets that are neither entertaining or enjoyable. The clincher for me was how annoying Sullivan’s voiceover was. Using narration for transitions is fine, but I don’t need to know what you are doing every five minutes.

Kingsley, thankfully, is loads of fun as Pasha, while James’s performance is wooden and lacking in any depth. The cinematography also enhances little, as the film makes use of two-shots for the vast majority of its scenes. The music too fails to improve or blend in with the tone of this release. Perhaps, A24 should have backed away from this one when Josh Hutcherson, the original choice to play Michael Sullivan, backed out.

Pasha makes a point to teach his protege that truth isn’t about fact but, in reality, is about consensus. Perhaps the truth we all realized while watching Backstabbing for Beginners is that the Iraq War is too complicated and fresh in our minds to be turned into a 108-minute film. If anyone is going to attempt to tell a tale wrapped around that war, then their focus should be on telling an intriguing, entertaining story and not boring audiences to death.

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Kevin Feige Thanks Fans For 10 Years of the Marvel Cinematic Universe

By

Aric Sweeny

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May 1, 2018

The Marvel cinematic universe began 10 years ago with the release of Iron Man. Since then, Marvel Studios has released 19 films in total, with gems such as Captain America: The Winter Solider, Black Panther, and, most recently, Avengers: Infinity War.

Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige sent out a thank you letter to fans around the globe, for not only making Infinity War the biggest opening weekend of all time, but for following the MCU for an incredible 10 years.

“The past ten years have been an unforgettable ride and we couldn’t have done it without the entire team at Marvel Studios, our incredible talent in front of and behind the camera, the visionary comic book creators, but most importantly you.

Thank you for embracing these characters and stories since we kicked off the MCU ten years ago. This past weekend was a result beyond our wildest dreams.

On behalf of everyone here at Marvel Studios, we thank you for being the best fans in the universe and making Avengers: Infinity War the biggest opening weekend of all time.”

Thank You pic.twitter.com/IP3tLSwQmS

— Kevin Feige (@Kevfeige) April 30, 2018

The Marvel cinematic universe is truly one of the greatest accomplishments in film history. A cohesive, well established, interesting shared cinematic universe has never been done on a scale like this before. Not only did Iron Man kick off a slew of amazing comic book films, it put the spotlight on an art form forgotten by some: comic books.

Without the popularity of superheroes in film, comic books wouldn’t be near the level of popularity they are today. With characters like the Avengers making millions upon millions on the big screen, the comic book market has also grown year to year. Fans are eager to read about these characters when they’re not watching them on screen, and some would say this is partly due to Iron Man kicking off the MCU.

How many times did you see Avengers: Infinity War in its opening weekend? Comment below, let us know!

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Review: TULLY Is An Uncensored Look At Motherhood

By

Dewey Singleton - Film Critic

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Jason Reitman’s latest project, Tully, is a blistering look at the parts of motherhood that aren’t covered in Parenting magazine.

While Hollywood has spent years glamorizing the simplicities that come with motherhood, writer Diablo Cody — an Oscar winner for Juno (her first collaboration with Reitman) — seeks to expose those raw moments which make parenting the hardest job ever. Enhancing Cody’s narrative is a spirited performance from Charlize Theron, who commits to the role in such a way that your heart breaks as she struggles to juggle it all.

Marlo (Theron) is a mother in her mid-40s with two kids and is pregnant with her third child. Drew (Ron Livingston) works during the day and tries to help with the kids at night, but when their third child, Mia, is born, Marlo begins to bear the brunt of the work. As the lack of the sleep starts to wear on her, the clutter of her house and the constant struggle to stay on top of everyday jobs gets to be too much. Her brother, played by Mark Duplass, offers to pay for a night nurse so that his sister can get some rest. At first, she rejects the idea but after some consideration, she changes her mind. Enter Tully (Mackenzie Davis), the night nurse whose arrival has an immediate impact but on Marlo’s life. But is it for the better?

Cody’s narrative effortlessly weaves in the emotional beats of Marlo’s journey with those raw moments of parenthood. There’s an authenticity to this tale of motherhood which we rarely see onscreen. Tully doesn’t attempt to make any moment of motherhood or even marriage appear neat or straightforward. Cody seeks to tell the unvarnished truth, and she achieves that easily.

Theron’s performance in the film is riveting. There’s nothing overt about her method. In fact, it’s her understated portrayal that makes it feel all too real. The Oscar-winning actress hits all her comedic beats while adding the right emotion when it is needed. Her most substantial moments come at the oddest of times. When Tully is talking about when the last time Marlo was intimate with her spouse, she takes such a self-deprecating stance that it seems like we are observing life as it unfolds.

Theron also nails the moments when talking about her son who has special needs and is often referred to as “quirky.” At first, it seems odd that Cody wouldn’t have written the line to simply refer to autism, but saying “quirky” is more of a realistic response. Often, my wife runs into people who are at a loss for words when it comes to discussing our oldest son. The moment when Marlo loses it on someone for using the “q” word one too many times is something that’s happened to me.

Reitman keeps the pace brisk moving along nicely, allowing very little lag. Cinematographer Eric Steelberg makes excellent use of his shots, using close-ups (just like The Handmaid’s Tale) to highlight the more emotional moments in the film. Sometimes, a page of dialogue isn’t nearly as useful but a shot of Marlo punching the steering wheel as her son is having a fit is. The supporting cast of the film, notably Davis and Livingston, fill in those voids, making Tully a complete movie.

Overall, we have to remember that even during the hysteria of Avengers: Infinity War, other releases are not only worthy but special. Tully is an extraordinary film with fantastic performances and writing which is both poignant and original. Reitman’s film is an ode to all the hardworking and selfless mothers around the globe. So Susan, Alana, Tara, Kathy, Jennifer, Megan, Melissa, Jeanne, Mindy, Aldara, Tara G., Corey, and all the mothers I couldn’t possibly list, this one’s for you.

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One Limb Left: When Is A Video Game Worth 100 Percent Completion?

By

Nick Battaglia

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May 1, 2018

When it comes to completing tasks in a video game, my attention mostly lies with the ones in the main story. While I will complete side quests and missions after finishing the main game, that’s normally as far as I go. Games that include open worlds have trophies, secret areas, and objectives designed to keep players engaged after the credits roll. But games like the Batman: Arkham series make trophy collecting tedious.

Batman: Arkham Knight was the worst offender. In order to fight The Riddler, you have to go around Gotham and collect all 243 Riddler trophies. Finding that out while playing the game made me stop playing it, and I haven’t played it since then. This is a problem many games with open worlds have.

They make collecting items feel tedious and not rewarding because there’s too much to collect in order to unlock or reveal certain things. The world’s they create have different areas, but not every one of them makes me awe over what I’ve discovered. To be honest a lot of the areas in Arkham Knight look and feel the same, or at least feel like they can all be part of one place. However, games like Rise of the Tomb Raider and God of War aka Dad of Boy are two games where I don’t feel that way.

Rise of the Tomb Raider was the first in game that made me want to achieve 100 percent completion. A big reason was because discovering areas, monuments, and collecting items was tied to its player progression system. Being able to upgrade Lara’s ability to translate words by going around deciphering monuments added to her character. It also made me want to max out her ability to do so and go and discover new areas.

Also, going back to a monument she couldn’t translate earlier on in the game and seeing her do so later gave me a huge sense of accomplishment. Going to secret areas and temples gave off a sense of awe because they all looked and operated differently. Nothing felt or looked the same.

By going to different areas I was also able to upgrade Lara’s physical skill set, and weaponry. The game never made me feel like I had to collect and explore these extra things. The option of doing so was presented in a way that gave me a sense of curiousness and adventure. Plus the way Camilla Luddington voices Lara Croft in the reboot series makes me feel like I’m with Lara and not controlling her.

God of War does the exact same thing. The video game makes me feel rewarded by visiting all of the realms and completing all of the tasks. By doing so I’m able to max out my attacks, weapons, and armor. It’s also a video game that uses its focus on Norse mythology to tell tales and stories while traveling.

There have been times where I’ll arrive at my destination and stay in the boat because getting out stops the story. I sat for many minutes to hear a head talk about a fire giant and loved it. Like Tomb Raider, the team behind God of War made sure to make every realm feel different. They also made sure each realm had its own unique tasks outside of the ones shared between all of them.

I understand not every game is going to be centered around mythology. But it’s important for developers to make sure buildings and areas feel and look different from each other. Fallout 4 is another video game that does this really well. It’s a nuclear Boston, but being in its version of Fenway Park (Diamond City) feels and looks different than other areas. Even each faction you can join has different looks when it comes to what they wear, and where they hangout.

A driving force in what makes me want to complete every task in a game is I need to feel like every area has something intriguing about it. If I go into areas and everything is the same, I’ll just lose interest. I’ll stop playing a game if I’m doing the same thing over and over again. Talking to you Ubisoft.

My fear is that many AAA games that involve open worlds will have some missions that are different, but most will be copy and paste. Go here, climb this, collect this, repeat. The bigger issue is consumers won’t know until they give the publisher their money. They may be able to get a refund, but the truth is people won’t get their money or time back.

They’ve paid for a service, but lose out on an overall experience. One that is worth earning 100 percent. Instead it’s just worth 10 bucks store credit in trade-in value if that.

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Hasbro Buys Entire POWER RANGERS Property from Saban Brands

By

Jen Schiller

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May 1, 2018

According to Dark Horizons, the entertainment company Hasbro has purchased the ‘Power Rangers’ franchise from Saban Brands. Hasbro announced the acquisition in a press release this morning. [easy-tweet tweet=”According to Dark Horizons, the entertainment company Hasbro has purchased the ‘Power Rangers’ franchise from Saban Brands. Hasbro announced the acquisition in a press release this morning. ” user=”Jenisaur” hashtags=”#powerrangers”]Haim Saban, creator of ‘Power Rangers’ and founder of Saban Brands, will stay on in a consulting role “…to further guide our development of this valuable property for the next generation of Power Rangers fans.”

Excited to announce we’re acquiring Saban’s @PowerRangers and other entertainment brands! https://t.co/WECwWymX7Q pic.twitter.com/dUZL87kQbO

— Hasbro (@HasbroNews) May 1, 2018

Hasbro Buys ‘Power Rangers’

After 25 years and over 900 episodes, Power Rangers is among the longest-running live-action series for kids. It currently airs in 150 markets around the world. Hasbro’s acquisition includes all related intellectual property, category rights and content libraries owned by Saban Properties and its affiliates. This means Hasbro controls the franchise entirely, including its future on the big screen and comics shelf.

While the series is over two decades old, Saban keeps it fresh with storyline reboots and Ranger replacements. The 2017 Power Rangers movie was no exception. The rangers in this movie were more 21st Century Breakfast Club than their predecessors, which kept made them appealing to viewers both familiar with and new to the franchise.

However, there is no news yet on whether Hasbro will continue where the 2017 film left off, which ended with room for a sequel. But that doesn’t always lead to a second installment, as the 2015 Jem and the Holograms has proven. Jem is also owned by Hasbro. The film was distributed by Allspark Pictures, Hasbro’s production company.

Dark Horizon estimates the deal’s value at $522 million, including cash and stock. It included rights to other Saban brands including the late 80s/early 90s classic “Popples”. Newly branded Power Rangers products should hit shelves in 2019.

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‘Ant-Man And The Wasp’ Official Trailer: Top 5 Moments

By

Kieran McLean

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May 1, 2018

Marvel Studios just dropped the first official trailer for Ant-Man And The Wasp, giving us an excellent new look at the world’s smallest superheroes.

If you haven’t already, check out the trailer below:

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UUkn-enk2RU[/embedyt]

Just like most major teasers, there’s a ridiculous amount of imagery and information to consume in this official trailer, and it would be very easy to miss one of the many exciting and important details. That’s why I’ve gone ahead and pieced together the top five moments from the new trailer!

Check out the list below:

5Giant-Man Skateboarding

One of the first shots in the trailer features Giant-Man (Paul Rudd) attempting to chase down a group of baddies, in arguably the most impressive and hilarious way ever. Instead of merely running and/or flying, Giant-Man uses a moving vehicle as a skateboard to trail the thugs, with surprisingly positive results.

4Wasp In Action

Marvel fans have waited years to see The Wasp suit-up and fight alongside Ant-Man and trust me; it was worth the wait. Our first look at The Wasp features a car, a group of thugs and a lot of cheer-worthy ass-kickings.If this is the level of badassery we can expect from The Wasp, then she’s already my favourite character.

3“You Go Low; I’ll Go High”

Arguably the funniest scene in the trailer is the moment Ant-Man suggests that he should go high, while The Wasp (who has wings) should attack from below. This hilarious moment not only sums up why we love Scott Lang, but it also gives Evangeline Lilly a chance to stretch her comedic muscles.

2Comparing Size

Another great moment also happens to be the introduction of Laurence Fishburne’s Bill Foster aka. Goliath, who is an old friend and co-worker of Hank Pym (Michael Douglas). In the scene, we learn that Bill Foster was working on a growing technology, which is something that Scott Lang has already attempted in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. This scene hilariously shows Scott and Bill comparing their biggest size, with Scott easily winning at 65 feet.

1Hour Of Need

Of course, every decent Ant-Man trailer includes Michael Peña as Scott’s scene-stealing BFF, Luis. This particular moment shows Luis in what appears to be his new office space, speaking to Hank Pym and hilariously throwing back to the time he and Scott broke into Hank’s home and stole the Ant-Man costume.

That’s it for my top five moments in the new Ant-Man And The Wasp trailer. Let me know what your favourite moments are in the comments section below!

About the film:

In the aftermath of “Captain America: Civil War,” Scott Lang grapples with the consequences of his choices as both a Super Hero and a father. As he struggles to rebalance his home life with his responsibilities as Ant-Man, he’s confronted by Hope van Dyne and Dr. Hank Pym with an urgent new mission. Scott must once again put on the suit and learn to fight alongside The Wasp as the team works together to uncover secrets from their past.

Ant-Man and The Wasp stars Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Michael Peña, Michael Douglas, Bobby Cannavale, Judy Greer, Abby Ryder Fortson, Tip “T.I.” Harris, and David Dastmalchian.

The sequel ups the states with new cast members Michelle Pfeiffer, Laurence Fishburne, Hannah John-Kamen, Walton Goggins, and Randall Park.

Peyton Reed directs from a screenplay by Chris McKenna & Erik Sommers, Andrew Barrer & Gabriel Ferrari, and Paul Rudd.

Ant-Man and The Wasp hits theaters on July 6, 2018.

AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR Aftermath: How Does ANT-MAN & THE WASP Tie-In?

By

Matthew Sardo

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May 1, 2018

Marvel Studios released the second trailer for Ant-Man & The Wasp Tuesday morning, but does the film tie-in to Avengers: Infinity War?

Watch the new trailer below for clues:

The new trailer puts more of the action on display and we are given a better understanding of main villain, The Ghost. The best part of the trailer is the conversation with Dr. Bill Foster and Scott Lang. There is also a good look at the Microverse (Quantum Realm).

Is it possible Ant-Man and his crew get stuck in the Microverse during the events of Avengers: Infinity War? Will we see some of his team turn to dust? Peyton Reed did a solid job with this trailer by not giving away too much information about Infinity War. We want answers, luckily we only have to wait until July 6.

What is your theory? Comment below.

About the film:
In the aftermath of “Captain America: Civil War,” Scott Lang grapples with the consequences of his choices as both a Super Hero and a father. As he struggles to rebalance his home life with his responsibilities as Ant-Man, he’s confronted by Hope van Dyne and Dr. Hank Pym with an urgent new mission. Scott must once again put on the suit and learn to fight alongside The Wasp as the team works together to uncover secrets from their past.

Ant-Man and The Wasp stars Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Michael Peña, Michael Douglas, Bobby Cannavale, Judy Greer, Abby Ryder Fortson, Tip “T.I.” Harris, and David Dastmalchian.

The sequel ups the states with new cast members Michelle Pfeiffer, Laurence Fishburne, Hannah John-Kamen, Walton Goggins, and Randall Park.

Peyton Reed directs from a screenplay by Chris McKenna & Erik Sommers, Andrew Barrer & Gabriel Ferrari, and Paul Rudd.

Ant-Man and The Wasp hits theaters on July 6, 2018.

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10 Most Badass Women In The Marvel Cinematic Universe

By

Robert Yaniz Jr.

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April 30, 2018

The Marvel Cinematic Universe isn’t getting its first female-led entry until Captain Marvel arrives in theaters next year. Yet, throughout its first decade, the MCU has had no shortage of badass ladies. In fact, Avengers: Infinity War — despite its epic scope — takes the time to spotlight several of them.

So now seems like as strong a time as any to celebrate the women of the MCU. For the record, we’re ranking these badass ladies not only on their power but also their strength, attitude, intelligence and impact on the greater MCU. Without further delay, let’s get to the 10 most badass women Marvel Studios has to offer.

10. Hope van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly)

Putting Hope van Dyne on this list does feel a bit premature, considering that we have yet to meet her superhero alter-ego in this summer’s Ant-Man and the Wasp. Still, Evangeline Lilly’s performance demonstrates that Hope is far more than the loyal daughter of Hank Pym. She is a force to be reckoned with and one we can’t wait to see suit up as the Wasp. “It’s about damn time” indeed.

9. Hela (Cate Blanchett)

Honestly, the only reason two-time Oscar winner Cate Blanchett’s Goddess of Death isn’t higher on our list is because her appearance looks like it will begin and end with Thor: Ragnarok. When it comes to pure power, she’s easily the tops, and hopefully, the MCU will find an excuse for her to reappear at some point. Just don’t take her down a Loki-esque redemption arc. Hela’s just too good at being bad.

8. Nebula (Karen Gillan)

Nebula has spent her whole life in sister Gamora’s shadow, but having reconciled with her in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Karen Gillan’s character earns some much-needed dimension. Intent on taking down Thanos, she is among the most dangerous and unpredictable women in the MCU. And we cannot get enough of her.

7. Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson)

From the first time we meet Tessa Thompson’s “Scrapper 142,” she’s already like no other woman we’ve seen in the MCU. A boozy, devil-may-care figure, Valkyrie emerges as essentially the female version of Han Solo. No wonder she came out of Thor: Ragnarok as a standout. While she doesn’t factor into Infinity War, Valkyrie’s days are far from over.

6. Okoye (Danai Gurira)

Never mind that T’Challa is the title character, the ladies of Black Panther undoubtedly stole the entire film. Okoye is one of the main reasons why. Brought to life by The Walking Dead‘s Danai Gurira, the leader of the Dora Milaje is T’Challa’s right-hand woman and by far one of Wakanda’s noblest, most loyal servants. She also steals every moment she has in Infinity War, which is saying a lot among that ensemble.

5. Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell)

A lot of the central male heroes in the MCU have strong women standing behind them, but Peggy Carter is so much more than just Captain America’s love interest. Unlike Pepper Potts, Betty Ross and Jane Foster, the character’s contributions to the MCU run deep, especially as a founder of S.H.I.E.L.D. Hayley Atwell also reprised the role for the gone-too-soon ABC series Agent Carter, one of the only female-led Marvel Studios projects to date.

4. Shuri (Letitia Wright)

Remember how we said Black Panther is overrun with amazing, powerful women? As princess of Wakanda, its lead scientist and a cunning warrior in her own right, there’s no way we would dare leave Shuri off this list. Whether she’s ribbing her brother, remotely aiding in a car chase or using her genius-level intellect to help the Avengers, we need much, much more Letitia Wright in future MCU films.

3. Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen)

To be honest, we weren’t blown away by Scarlet Witch when she debuted in Avengers: Age of Ultron. Sure, her abilities are impressive and all, but her role felt muted in that film. But she has really come into her own as a critical element of both Captain America: Civil War and now Avengers: Infinity War. Elizabeth Olsen’s Wanda Maximoff feels like a character who’s very much still evolving. We look forward to seeing what she’ll be capable of next time.

2. Gamora (Zoe Saldana)

When you’re just one among an entire crew of intergalactic badasses, standing out could be tricky business. Then again, Thanos is on to something in Infinity War when he refers to his favorite daughter as “the fiercest woman in the galaxy.” Gamora isn’t only unbeatable in battle; she is also the heart and moral compass of the Guardians of the Galaxy. Zoe Saldana serves a very similar function in Infinity War and, as such, nearly topped our list.

1. Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson)

Characters like Shuri, Scarlet Witch and Gamora present compelling arguments, but in the end, the most obvious selection for the top spot is also the best one. Scarlett Johansson first popped up in Iron Man 2 in a supporting capacity. Yet, through her roles in the Captain America and Avengers films, she has developed into more than just S.H.I.E.L.D.’s top agent. One of the original Avengers, Natasha Romanoff remains the most popular woman in the MCU. Thank goodness her long-awaited solo film appears to be finally on its way.

Honorable Mentions

Lady Sif (Jaimie Alexander)

Maria Hill (Cobie Smulders)

Agent 13 (Emily VanCamp)

Mantis (Pom Klementieff)

Nakia (Lupita Nyong’o)

Which badass woman in the MCU is your favorite? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below!

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WESTWORLD Review: “Reunion” Brings Together Old Allies and Enemies

By

Joshua Versalle

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Not every “Reunion” is a happy one. Sometimes they lead to violent confrontation, like last night’s episode of Westworld. In the episode, we learn more about the origins of the park, Delos’s plans for it, and where this whole thing is headed. To misquote Dolores, “A strange SPOILER can be just as frightening as the dark”, so if you haven’t watched the epsiode yet, turn back now.

“You thought you could do what you wanted to us because there’s no one here to judge you.”

Dolores and crew reach the lab. This is what she told Teddy last episode that she needed to show him: the nature of their reality. They conscript a tech named Phil (Patrick Cage) into their service and he shows Teddy that he has died many times before. They find out that Delos will be sending a force of 800 to take back the park, and so Dolores will need to gather an army to defend themselves. She has one in mind: the Confederados.

On the way to recruit them, Dolores has a tense reunion with Maeve, who says that fighting a war for revenge on humans is just a “different prayer at their altar”, and she has no interest in it. Maeve, Hector, and Lee move on with their own quest.

Dolores meets the Confederados, who rebuff her offer to join them. It seems that seeing an old member resurrected and Dolores’s seemingly mystical knowlwedge of their plans wasn’t enough to convince them, so Dolores resorts to that age-old bargaining tool: violence. She orders Angela and Teddy kill them all, then has Phil bring them back online.

“You’re too perfect to be one of us.”

Back in the real world (and back in time), Logan is fielding requests for capital. Asking on behalf of Westworld are Akecheta (Zahn McClarnon, Hanzee from season two of Fargo) and Angela, in her more refined, pre-marauder days. The demonstration that follows, with Logan wandering around a crowded cocktail party trying to discern who there is a host, is shot in such a way that even though we the audience have seen hosts in action before, we still feel his surprise and wonder upon seeing them for the first time. Instead of one or two, we find that almost everyone there (including a piano-playing Clementine) is a host. Logan’s first instinct on seeing possibly the greatest technological achievement in history is to fuck it. He takes several hosts to bed and when Angela wakes up, Dolores is watching her.

Another flashback shows William and his future father-in-law James Delos (Peter Mullan) inspecting Westworld. Delos is uninspired at the prospect of investing in the park, but William tells him what he sees as the park’s main value: learning about the wants of consumers in an environment where they feel no one is watching them. The whole thing is an advancement in market research and James is now interested. It when it comes to the Delos family, sex and money are the extents of their vision.

“Well, dead isn’t what it used to be, Lawrence.”

The Man in Black once again saves Lawrence from an execution, nearly getting killed himself in the process. He tells Lawrence that although people come to Westworld to sin without anyone watching, the fact is they (Delos) have been watching everything. Like Dolores, he sets out for the Valley Beyond in the west and tries to recruit an army along the way. In the sacked town of Pariah, the Man in Black and Lawrence find El Lazo (Giancarlo Esposito). In juxtaposition to Dolores, violence won’t help recruit El Lazo’s army. He has his men kill themselves, and kills himself, rather than join the Man in Black and he leaves him with a message from Ford: this game is meant for him, but he must play it alone.

“In this world you can be whoever the f*ck you want”

One of my favorite things about season one of Westworld was watching the actors get to play hosts in so many different ways. The prime example is Evan Rachel Wood going from Dolores (the rancher’s daughter who sees the beauty in the world) to Wyatt (the murderous soldier) and eventually transcending either of these characters to find that she alone determines who she really is. In season two Ed Harris’s Man in Black proves that you don’t have to be a robot to undergo such a metamorphosis. Sometimes all it takes is being reminded of your own inevitable death. He’s is a completely different character in season two, going from a grim, joyless killer to a grim, joyful killer, but as good as he was in the first season, watching him revel in playing the game now that the stakes are real is even better.

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