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Ron Howard Teases SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY Trailer Debut

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With Solo: A Star Wars Story due out this May, many Star Wars fans are wondering when they can expect the official trailer to be released.

Well, if Ron Howard’s one to listen to, it won’t be long. A Twitter user asked the director about the Solo trailer dropping, and here’s how he responded:

Hang in there :-). Now that ep 8 is out there it won’t be long

With other Star Wars films, a trailer – or two, perhaps – would have been released by this time. Aditionally, given the trouble behind the scenes with Solo, it’s rational to worry about why no footage has been seen yet. That said, however, Howard is a veteran director, and I have faith in him to give Han Solo a fitting backstory.

Solo features Alden Ehrenreich, Donald Glover, Emilia Clarke, Woody Harrelson, and Paul Bettany.

Solo: A Star Wars Story hits theaters on May 25.

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Review: ROYAL CITY #9 Finds A Way To Make Quiet Moments Loud

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Sometimes the quiet moments of a comic book can scream louder than an action sequence; such is the case with Jeff Lemire’s Royal City #9 from Image Comics out this week.

Royal City #9
Written and Drawn by:
 Jeff Lemire
Published by: Image Comics
Alternate Cover by: Ray Fawkes

Writing

Perhaps it’s because music plays a big role in Royal City as a whole, but the one term that kept coming to mind for issue #9 was ‘loud, quiet, loud’. For those unfamiliar with the term, it describes a certain sound in music where songs shift from chaos to minimal (and is also the title of a documentary on the band The Pixies, a band that was excellent at this concept). The term, to me, has always meant something special. Music, like art, can be heightened by juxtaposition; pairing big moments with small ones can highlight each in ways that having those moments alone could never achieve. Royal City #9 is a perfect example of this. Issue #8 was filled with a few ‘loud’ moments (flashbacks to a fire, the increasing sickness plaguing Tommy). But this month’s chapter takes a step back and is composed of really just a series of quiet conversations and observations.

From the opening sequence of Pat waking up for another day of work to the sublime panels focusing on Pat’s father that end the issue, these seemingly quiet moments hit with the power of a megaphone. Jeff Lemire is writing from the heart here and it shows. His ability to make every character real and raw is uncanny. As the sole creator, he has left no stone untouched when it comes to adding depth and weight to not only every single member of the Pike family but the other citizens and members of the larger Royal City community as well. Supporting character Lonnie is a perfect example in this issue, as his exchange with the young Pat is no less revealing, even with its brevity. It’s a great scene whose impact and importance is obvious a the end.

‘Royal City’ #9 Art by Jeff Lemire

Art

Jeff Lemire is without a doubt creating some of the best art of his career in this book and issue #9 continues that track. There is a delicate nature to his linework in Royal City that is unlike anything his has done before. Faces capture emotion, and even more important, detachment. I can’t think of anyone better than Lemire who can draw someone ‘thinking’ without relying overly on thought balloons and narrative boxes and still hit you with exactly what the character us ruminating.

Style-wise everything is still sketchy, but that style creates the unique feeling that only comes with introspection and memories (this arc is a flashback by the way), so the subtle changes are a completely conscious choice and are incredibly effective. To go with another musical analogy, the art makes me feel the way a great and beloved record sounds when you hear it echoing through your home on a cool, breezy day with the windows open; it follows you and stays with you long after you are done directly experiencing it.

‘Royal City’ #9 Art by Jeff Lemire

Conclusion

If you are any kind of a fan of sequential art and comics, you simply have to read Royal City. This is a book where all aspects work perfectly together. It’s auteur work and a highlight of this medium.

*Note: This arc has included alternate covers homaging classic albums from the 90s (the time period the story is taking place in). This issue features a gorgeous image by Ray Fawkes based on Portishead’s classic album cover art for ‘Dummy’. You can see it below.

Royal City
‘Royal City’ #9 Alt. Cvr by Ray Fawkes
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Funko Expanding its Universe Again with HEROWORLD Vinyls

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Funko has announced a new line of vinyl collectible figure sets, exclusive to Target, called, ‘HeroWorld’, as the brand continues to expand its catalog.

Each figure stands 4-inches tall, while none are sold separately. Each hero is included in both sets of five and two. Launch characters in the line include quite a few DC Comics heroes, as well as Five Nights at Freddy’s, Power Rangers and Scooby-Doo.

For all the nostalgic fans, you will be happy to see that the JL characters are adorned in their classic uniforms (underwear on the outside of the pants).

Noticeably missing from the Justice League set is Green Lantern. One wonders if there will possibly be a Green Lantern Corps, should another wave be released. We are excited to see what will happen next with this line, and whether it will include some Marvel heroes as well.

This line is set to become your new obsession, for fans of all ages and will be available this week at both Target stores and Target.com.

Click HERE for the complete list of available vinyls in this line, as announced by Funko.

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BLACK PANTHER Tickets Are Now On Sale

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IMAX has announced that Black Panther tickets have officially gone on sale.

You heard it from the King. tickets are now on sale!

Given the anticipation behind Black Panther, I’d recomend buying tickets early. Every film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is going to be packed on opening night, but I have a feeling the hype behind Black Panther will be on another level.

“After the events of Marvel’s Captain America: Civil War, King T’Challa returns home to the reclusive, technologically advanced African nation of Wakanda to serve as his country’s new leader. However, T’Challa soon finds that he is challenged for the throne from factions within his own country. When two foes conspire to destroy Wakanda, the hero known as Black Panther must team up with C.I.A. agent Everett K. Ross and members of the Dora Milaje, Wakanadan special forces, to prevent Wakanda from being dragged into a world war.”

Black Panther releases in theaters on February 16, 2018. Are you looking forward to Marvel Studios‘ next movie? Comment below, let us know.

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OSCARS 2018: Predicting Best Actor

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Like just about every category this year, predicting Best Actor is a toss up. There are no true frontrunners or larger-than-life performances in epic films. There are some performances that look and feel like these big roles, but the films around them don’t have the prestige. It’s tricky.

There are also a few rising stars that could not only get a nomination, but could sneak away with the Oscar when the time comes. Let’s try and narrow this field to five…

BEST ACTOR

Gary Oldman is the closest thing to a lock this year. His performance in The Darkest Hour outshines the film itself, and sure he’s done all the makeup work and put in the time, I just wish Oldman had been nominated for more roles in the past. Him winning here will be “Al Pacino for Scent of A Woman” levels of career recognition.

Aside from Oldman, James Franco should grab the next open slot for his turn as Tommy Wiseau in The Disaster Artist. Who would have ever imagined a story about The Room would become a heavy hitter during Oscar season. The rest of the field could go any number of ways, and it’s beginning to feel like Daniel Kaluuya has a legitimate chance at getting a nomination for Get Out. and He would deserve it.

Let’s say Timothée Chalamet nabs the fourth spot for Call Me By Your Name. It seems likely. That leaves a fifth and final spot, and the specter of Daniel Day-Lewis looming large over the rest of the hopefuls. Jake Gyllenhaal is out there for Stronger, Denzel Washington for Roman J. Israel Esq., and Tom Hanks for The Post. But DDL hangs over them all for his performance in Paul Thomas Anderson’s Phantom Thread. He may be outdone by his costar, Vicky Krieps, who is likely to get a nomination; and, despite this being DDL’s last film he might not have enough momentum to grab a spot. Plus, call me crazy, but the Academy might be ready to welcome Tom Hanks back into the Best Actor pool.

PREDICTIONS

Gary Oldman – The Darkest Hour

James Franco – The Disaster Artist

Daniel Kaluuya – Get Out

Timothée Chalamet – Call Me By Your Name

Tom Hanks – The Post

Predicting the Screenplays

Predicting Supporting Actor

Predicting Supporting Actress

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REVIEW: THE STRANGE ONES Thrives on its Mood, Wobbles in its Execution

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The Strange Ones is the sort of thriller where you spend a great deal of time on a relationship mystery. Who are these people? Why are they together? What happened to bring them together? When the direction of this story comes into focus, it’s almost shocking to consider this was the where we were headed.

That’s not to say The Strange Ones is bad. Not the case. It is a solid, albeit thin thriller that is a terrific exercise in style over any marked substance in the end. The dynamic between Nick and Sam, two “brothers” barely able to contain deep, dark secrets, is unsettling to say the least; Alex Pettyfer and James Freedson-Jackson as Nick and Sam, respectively, are worth the time to live in this bleak world. The older Nick and the teenage Sam are traveling across the country, running from something, hiding in plan sight and giving off enough weird vibes to the people they meet along the way to convince even the thickest of heads something is amiss.

Director’s Christopher Radcliff and Lauren Wolkstein invoke Terrence Malick’s Badlands, but this version of the Midwest is in barren towns, gas stations along the sides of roads long forgotten, and motels relying on nonexistent traffic to keep the lights on. Cinematographer Todd Banhanzi captures some of the beauty of the region high in the clouds, but down on the surface, with these two mysterious people, his camera is urgent and oppressive.

At a quick 82-minute clip, The Strange Ones manages to keep us guessing well into the final scenes. The story, written by Radcliff and Woklstein as well, takes contained little twists within scenes to keep things askew at just the right amount. In an early conversation, Nick tells a despondent Sam “nothing that happened before this trip. Unless you want it to.” The scene plays out with a suggestion of dream logic before subtly shifting gears, and the film moves from one type of story to another.

Pettyfer and Freedson-Jackson are terrific at keeping the wire taut. Freedson-Jackson is especially arresting as Sam, the traumatized younger traveler with broken eyes and always teetering right on the edge of a nervous breakdown. The performances might feel a little too stilted, maybe even a little suffocated from time to time; perhaps that was Radcliff and Wolkstein’s intention, however, to not allow these two lost souls a second to exhale. If that was the idea all along, then they succeeded. It makes the final act even more arresting, when the twist lands with a much deserved authority.

The Strange Ones travels in unexpected directions, and for its ability to execute that it should be praised. More and more, these DirecTV films and VOD releases are where the new independent wave is growing. It’s the best platform for these microscopic films to find the eyes they deserve. It’s the same sort of avenue in which Jeremy Saulnier arrived via Blue Ruin a few years back. This has a similar feel. It’s a strong feature debut from this directing duo, and it should be exciting to see them sharpen their tools as their career unfolds.

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Here is The Badass Extended Trailer for BLACK PANTHER

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For anyone who may have missed it, at halftime of the College Football Championship tonight Marvel Studios delivered an extended, full-length trailer for Black Panther.

And it is Bad. Ass.

The upcoming MCU entry from Ryan Coogler couldn’t have any more buzz heading into its February release, but this expanded look gives us a better feel for the tone. And the tone is we’re gonna do what we want how we want and it will absolutely work:

See for yourself:

T’Challa, after the death of his father, the King of Wakanda, returns home to the isolated, technologically advanced African nation to succeed to the throne and take his rightful place as king.

This looks positively legit on every level. And anyone who tells you otherwise is just a silly, silly person. Coogler clearly has a grasp of the material, and nothing is more encouraging than Michael B. Jordan trying his hand at a different character here as the villain, Kilmonger. And the soundtrack should be fantastic. The poster is fantastic. Everything about this movie is great so far.

Black Panther will be here February 16.

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Academy Awards 2018: The Golden Globes Bring the Race Into Focus

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Another Golden Globes has come and gone, and it will undoubtedly go down as one of the most memorable. The red carpet was used as a powerful social statement. There were surprising upsets. And perhaps most of all, there was Oprah’s historic speech.

For award season zealots, the Golden Globes are exciting not because of their tendency to be unexpected and zany, but because of they open the gates to the Oscars. The Golden Globes are seen as the opening volley of the season, giving a glimpse into what the Academy of Motion Pictures might be thinking.

We followed that particular bread crumb trail to its probable ends. Check the complete list of winners here if you missed Sunday’s ceremony. Then come along as we decode the Road to the Oscars.

Best Picture

Three Billboards

If the past is any indicator, then winning a Golden Globe is actually detrimental to a film’s chances of winning the Academy Award for Best Picture.

The Comedy/Musical category has only lined up once in the past ten years, and that was for The Artist, which was a near guarantee. That’s bad news for fans of Lady Bird, as it all but kills its chances.

The Drama category is a little better, matching four times in ten years, though that still means that it is more of a detriment than a help. It’s unlikely that Three Billboards will take home the Oscar.

Best Director

Guillermo del Toro

Like Best Picture – Drama, the Golden Globe for Director has only aligned four years in the past ten. That doesn’t mean del Toro’s chances are dead in the water, though it doesn’t look great either. The DGA’s will likely answer the question for us.

Best Actor

Gary Oldman

Best Actor – Drama is one of the Golden Globe’s best predictive categories. It has lined up eight times in ten years, and the two times they didn’t, it was fairly obvious who would win.

On the flipside, Best Actor – Comedy is a complete non-starter. The only time it has lined up in a decade was for Jean Dujardin in The Artist, which, of course.

This is all to say that, amazingly, Oldman is now the favorite to win Best Actor. Hugh Jackman and other detractors can rest easy – James Franco will not be returning to the stage.

 

Best Actress

Frances McDormand

The Globes are harder to pinpoint with actresses. While Drama has lined up the majority of the time, it’s a slim margin. Comedy has only lined up three times in ten years, and each win was separated by four to five years.

Things look good for McDormand, though it is still very much anyone’s game. For Ronan things look worse; last year’s match means her chances of winning Best Actress are low.

 

Best Supporting Actor

Sam Rockwell

Much to Natalie Portman’s chagrin, the Globes excel in the men’s categories. Supporting Actor has lined up eight times out of ten; the two it missed were Aaron Taylor-Johnson, who wasn’t nominated for an Oscar, and Sylvester Stallone, who lost to Mark Rylance in an upset.

Rockwell is leading the race, and has a good shot of getting a statue in February.

Best Supporting Actress

Allison Janney

The Globes tend to lineup here, so Janney has a good shot. The SAG’s will give a better idea as to what the Academy is thinking, but in the meantime she has pulled ahead of the pack.

Best Animated Film

Coco

This is one of the Golden Globes stronger categories. It should come as no surprise, but it’s all but guaranteed Coco will take the W in February.

Best Foreign Language

In the Fade

This one is a crapshoot. It lines up half the time, which means it isn’t detrimental, but isn’t helpful either. In the Fade has as much chance as anybody else.

Best Original Score

The Shape of Water

With a record of eight in ten, Shape of Water has a great chance of winning its category. If the reviews are any indicator, it will certainly not be the only technical category it wins.

Best Original Song

This is Me

This is another *shrug* category. This is Me” has as much a shot as anybody else. Perhaps Jackman’s perceived slight at the Globes will push them to the win.

Best Screenplay

Three Billboards

This is an incredibly difficult category to evaluate because the Globes don’t “play by the rules.” While the Academy Awards split screenplay into Adapted and Original categories, the Globes combine them. It has a seven in ten record combined, which certainly helps Three Billboards chance. In the end, it’s still up in the air.

 

What did you think of the Golden Globes? What are you hoping to see win an Oscar in February? Let us know on Facebook, Twitter, or in the comments below!

Get Yourself To Paradise City Comic Con For A Heavenly Weekend of Comics, Movies, Games, And More

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Take me down to the Paradise City Comic Con where geekdom rules and the cosplay is pretty. Coming this week is the first of many pop culture conventions this year all around the country. The convention season is an exciting start to a time where the imaginations of creaators and fans come together in celebration. The people behind South Florida’s largest comic book convention, Supercon kick off the season with Paradise City Comic Con in Miami, Florida.

Paradise City Comic Con starts Friday, January 12th
and runs through Sunday, January 14th.

If you like Star Wars, Star Trek, zombies, and all that pop culture goodness, then there’s no better place to go than a convention. On a smaller scale that Supercon — but growing fast — Paradise City Comic Con will feature the usual array of geekdom awesome that fans have come to expect.

Cosplay? Check! And the Saturday night cosplay contest will be judged by the likes of Kamui Cosplay, KayBear Cosplay, & Handsome Jordan!

Guests? A whole lot of them. If we learned anything from Supercon, the people behind the geekdom fun love to bring in celebrities from all walks of pop culture. Paradise City will include faces from Star Trek, the video game Overwatch, anime, wrestlers, and more.

Panels, movies, gaming? Oh, you know it! Paradise City will feature a host of panels about comics, anime, gaming, and wrestling. A geek film festival with indie movies will keep cinephiles happy. Gamers of all kinds will find Paradise City Comic Con lives up to its name by providing heavenly tabletop and video game sections with the latest and greatest games for XBox, Playstation, and PC.

Paradise City Comic Con begins on Friday, January 12th, and piles on the fun for the entire weekend, ending on Sunday, January 14th. Get tickets here.

Come back to Monkeys Fighting Robots for more coverage from the con, including photos of the amazing cosplay and much more.

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New Trailer For BLOCKERS, The Anti-Christ Of Teen Comedies

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Universal Pictures just dumped a whole bunch of butt beer all over the teen comedy genre in the form of Blockers.

As a guy in his early forties, I’ve witnessed the progression of comedy and Blockers is the sick love child of Something About Mary and Sixteen Candles, yet for no comprehensible reason, John Cena makes me laugh.

You will all become dumber for watching this trailer.



When three parents discover their daughters’ pact to lose their virginity at prom, they launch a covert one-night operation to stop the teens from sealing the deal.

The film is directed by Kay Cannon and stars Leslie Mann, Ike Barinholtz, and John Cena

Blockers hits theathers on April 6.


What do you think, is John Cena funny? Comment below.

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