Review: The Rock’s JUMANJI Is The Anti-STRANGER THINGS

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Have you ever left a movie and thought you missed something? The rest of the theater was laughing, they seemed to be enjoying themselves; why didn’t I? This was the predicament which I found myself after seeing ‘Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle,’ Dwayne Johnson’s latest co-starring Kevin Hart, Jack Black, and Karen Gillan.

It took me a while to figure out the issue with the film, but after some deep thought and ample booze, I’ve come to a conclusion: the best scene in ‘Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle’ is at the end, after the kids escape the game and they have a conversation with Colin Hanks. This small scene captures the right emotion and gives the film a heart that never appears during the meat of the picture. This moment has the same emotional and nostalgic bent as ‘Goonies,’ ‘Stranger Things,’ even ‘Spider-Man: Homecoming.’ It’s all about the awkwardness of a teenager that everyone can relate to.

What the writers of the film (Chris McKenna, Erik Sommers, Scott Rosenberg, and Jeff Pinkner) do with ‘Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle’ is take all the relatability out of the film and insert a screaming Kevin Hart. Johnson is fun and likable, but he doesn’t have the acting skill to convince you that he’s a 16-year-old kid. The director of the film, Jake Kasdan, also plays to his strengths as a comedy director, but in no time the movie transforms into a stand-up routine in the jungle.

Before you hit me over the head with, ‘Matt! It’s a popcorn flick, just enjoy the movie!’ let me give you another paragraph or two to make my case…

The simple set up of the film is fine. How Jumanji goes from a board game to a video game works. What doesn’t work is the actual gameplay. In the world of Jumanji, set up by the original film, the rules are important. With four writers on the project, should one of them maybe watched the original film? I would like to think that writers, director, and actors are trying to create the best possible product every time they work on a project, but sometimes that just isn’t the truth. Sometimes bills have to get paid and your sole motivation is a paycheck. ‘Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle’ feels like this generations ‘Last Action Hero,’ but with a little less fanfare.

According to Rotten Tomatoes, I’m in the minority, but the Rock can’t cover up bad writing, flimsy CGI, and direction. Hart and Black can make you laugh on street on a street corner, no CGI film needed. With the quality of television on the rise, and more and more options available for your viewing pleasure, is it wrong to want more here?

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Quentin Tarantino’s R-Rated STAR TREK Finds a Writer

By

Larry Taylor - Managing Editor

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December 22, 2017

Apparently, Quentin Tarantino’s R-rated Star Trek is still and actual thing that’s happening. It’s either that, or it’s one of the more effective geekdom pranks in recent memory; or it might all fall apart before it reaches any sort of production. Whatever the case, the movie has found a writer, who is not named Quentin Tarantino.

Mark L. Smith has been appointed the task of writing this R-rated Star Trek, and adding all the salty language and bloodshed. Smith has plenty of experience with violent screenplays, having recently written The Revenant. Other credits include Vacancy and Martyrs, and some other B-grade stuff. According to the report, Smith beat out Iron Man 3 and Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation scribe Drew Pearce. What’s even more unusual is Smith is writing the screenplay and not Quentin Tarantino.

It doesn’t make a ton of sense that Tarantino would be so eager to direct, specifically, an R-rated Star Trek movie, and then not write it himself. Especially since that’s kind of his bag. Hopefully this means he is handing over the storytelling on this one to Smith and J.J. Abrams, who is producing, while he handles the infinitely more interesting 1969 “Charles Manson not Charles Manson” movie in the meantime.

Stay tuned for more super weird updates as they pop up.

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Review: BATMAN #37, ‘Double Date’, Doubles Down On The Fun

By

Manuel Gomez

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You have seen them fight everyone from Darkseid to street thugs, to interdimensional evil versions of themselves, and even each other. But what do the ‘Word’s Greatest’ heroes do on a double date with their respected loved ones? Will they agree on what to do? Where and what to eat? Will everyone get along? What exactly is ‘Superhero Night’ at the county fair? And what’s this about having to switch costumes?

Batman #37
‘Super Friends’ Part 2
Written by: Tom King
Art by: Clay Mann
Inks By: Clay Mann & Seth Mann
Colors by: Jordie Bellaire
Letters by: Clayton Cowles

Writing

As much as I enjoyed the last issue of Batman, I have to say this one takes the ball from issue #36 and runs it into the end zone. There are so many great moments that it’s hard to pick a favorite. There’s the Ferris wheel ride, the throwing ball game, and superheroes eating corndogs. Tom King fills this issue with so much fun and joy and unlike the last issue, the focus isn’t just on Batman and Superman. Lois Lane and Selina Kyle are central to this story (as they are to their partners) and both women get a lot of bonding here, maybe even more so than the boys. Some of the funniest moments come between the two at the expense of Bats and Supes. That’s not to say that the titular hero doesn’t get laughs of his own, as probably the best running gag in the issue is Batman’s simple answer of “No” to many requests and suggestions.

There is also something sort of deceptively deep about the concept of this issue. At first glance, the trading places costume switcharoo seems like just another gag. But scratch that surface a bit and you start to see that this is about how all these characters see each other, how they see themselves, and how we as readers perceive them as well.

Art

Clay Mann gets the chance to draw a lot of faces here, and his gift for subtle expression is excellent. He captures things like the slight stiffness in Bruce’s face and the exasperation in Clark’s without resorting to over the top cartooning. The line work is also very clean and sharp, with an almost classic comic book look that is perfectly broken up every now and then by modern looking layouts and panel work.

Jordie Bellaire once again proves why she is my favorite colorist in the medium today. The atmosphere and mood created by her color palette really makes you feel like you are in a carnival.

Conclusion

Batman #37 was exactly what I needed from this title after the intricate and deeply disturbing recent arcs. It’s another issue that proves how well Tom King can write The Dark Knight; constantly changing the feel of the stories to give you more insight into one of pop culture’s most significant fictional characters. A definite must read!

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Review: JUMANJI: WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE Is Nothing But Fun

By

Dewey Singleton - Film Critic

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Sometimes the best thing a director can do is let their cast play to their strengths. Such is the case in Jake Kasdan’s Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle. Rather than seek to recreate the magic of the original, Kasdan increases the frivolity of the narrative. The result is a film that doesn’t seek to teach anyone a lesson but will cause your ribs to hurt from laughter.

The tale centers around four kids who end up in detention after committing separate incidents in the same day. Bethany (Madison Iseman), Spencer (Alex Wolff), football hero Fridge (Ser’Darius Blain) and Martha (Morgan Turner) are tasked with cleaning out the storage unit of their school as punishment. While they’re cleaning Fridge stumble upon a video game unit that happens to have Jumanji in it. They begin playing it which results in all four kids being sucked into the game. Spencer morphs into Dr. Smolder Bravestone (Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson), Fridge is now “Moose” Finbar (Kevin Hart), Martha is now martial arts dynamo Ruby Roundhouse (Karen Gillan), and Bethany has become Professor Oberon (Jack Black). As each kid assumes the role of a character from the game, challenges begin to arise. For starters, they have to overcome the evil Professor van Pelt (Bobby Cannavale) as they race to return a green emerald to the top of the Jaguar statue. Apparently once this occurs a curse will lift and Jumanji will thrive once again.

Chris Mckenna, Jeff Pinker, Scott Rosenberg, and Erik Sommer that substitutes the warmth of the first film for gut-busting laughter. No is seeking to recreate Robin Williams performance, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle honors it. Mckenna brings that same wit to this screenplay as he did in Lego Batman Movie.

Johnson and Hart shine once again in their respective roles. When they are both on screen, their comedic timing is amazing. Robin Williams would have lost it, especially during the piggyback chase scene. Someone in Hollywood needs to put together a remake of Twins and cast these two in the leading roles.

Black plays the role of Bethany to comedic perfection. While Johnson and Hart are dynamite, his character dominates each scene therein. Seeing Black do the flirting scene is worth the price of admission itself.

While seeing Gillan awkwardly flirt with The Rock was fun, seeing those two makeout left the theater roaring. Who knew that Gamora’s sister could be hysterical? It’s the willingness of the writers to ridicule not only the actors but the actual idea of a game sucking people into it that makes this release strong.

In the end, this film is far from perfect but if an entertaining time is what you are looking for then look no further than Jumani: Welcome To The Jungle. While it’s easy to nitpick a release, sometimes a releases purpose is to bring joy to masses, and this indeed does that.

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Due To JUSTICE LEAGUE, ARROW Can’t Use Deathstroke

By

Aric Sweeny

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December 21, 2017

Following Justice League and its introduction of Deathstroke on the big screen, The CW’s Arrow is not allowed to utilize Slade Wilson.

Arrow executive producer Marc Guggenheim revealed the news at ACE Comic-Con. First, he mentioned that the numerous DC television shows are simply borrowing the characters, and do not own them.

“These are DC’s characters, we’re just renting them ya know, so we use the characters that they tell us we can use when we can use them, and we work around whatever limitations that places us.

Then, Guggenheim was asked about Deathstroke specifically:

“Yeah, I think you know as a result we’ve been on and off. For a time they were saying ‘you can’t use Deathstroke’, and that changed and we were able to have Slade Wilson back on the show, and now we’re back to ‘you can’t use him’. They’re working on the feature film version, it really is sort of now that you’ve got obviously Slade, spoiler alert, Deathstroke appears at the end of the Justice League movie.”

Deathstroke was executed well in the show, but it remains to be seen if Warner Bros. can capture the same energy and performance with their films. Justice League didn’t perform up to expectations, so the silver lining in this is that, with the familiarity of Deathstroke, the character could potentially bring in some fans of the DC TV shows, specifically Arrow.

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Crash Pad Is A Back-Assward Rom-Com That’s A Whole Lot Of Fun

By

Ruben Diaz

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Infidelity, mid-life crisis and all around comedic shenanigans drive Crash Pad forward. Starring Christina Applegate and Domhall Gleeson, the film hits the ground running and rarely lets up. And while it might feel like a romantic comedy at the start, Crash Pad’s alternative vision for how it all plays out sets it apart from the usual entries into the genre. When the director of the film calls it an “ass-backward rom-com” you know you’re in for a fun time.

Crash Pad begins with Christina Applegate’s Morgan and Domhall Gleeson’s Stensland in bed together. Stensland learns a horrible secret about the girl he’s fallen for. And Applegate, with a mix of cold-hearted and heartbroken, must weather the storm for the moment until Gleeson makes his exit.

“I’m a 29-year-old, unemployed, diamond in the rough with no foreseeable opportunities for financial or personal success until my death.” – Stensland

From that intro, off we go into a film that mixes typical rom-com elements but plays them out in a pattern that feels fresh. Instead of the selfish guy who learns to love or the awkward girl who rises to find true love and conquer some enormous task, it’s a mess of a love triangle and a story about marriage, relationships, and growing up even when you’re already an adult.

In the hands of the wrong director, Crash Pad could be a spectacular disaster. At the helm here is Kevin Tent who has a long career as an editor in Hollywood (Downsizing, The Descendants). And though Tent only dabbles in directing, he’s an industry veteran and knows exactly what to do with the camera and when. Crash Pad could fit neatly alongside many of Judd Apatow’s movies like 40-Year-Old Virgin or Knocked-Up.

The first five minutes of Crash Pad don’t waste a second setting up exactly what kind of comedy this is. “Bullshit!” is the first line uttered by Stensland in his Irish tambour. Morgan then hammers home the truth. And, a few second laters, is brushing off the breakup, trying his best to feign the uncaring male. Then there’s man-ass and near-full frontal male nudity that will make some viewers cringe with a smile. We don’t see more of Stensland’s package, but we do then see Stensland’s real self, crying because he’s lost a woman he thought he was falling in love with.

“My receptionist was listening in when I threatened you which
means I’d have to kill her as well. And no way I’m breaking in a new receptionist. No, sir.” – Grady

As it turns out, Morgan is married to Grady played by Thomas Haden Church. And in the typical rom-com, it would become a situation of Stensland winning the heart of his true love, and Grady would be the a-hole who loses in the end. But that’s not what happens here, and the subtle deviations from the usual make Crash Pad fun to watch. Also, where Grady and Stensland begin their journey is drastically different from where they end.

Grady and Stensland form a strange bromance that serves as the major thread of the story. Grady is conflicted, trapped in a sort of mid-life crisis. He’s angry that Morgan cheated on him, particularly with the smaller, wimpy-by-comparison Stensland, but he also understands to a degree as he might or might not have cheated on his wife first. And instead of killing Stensland, Grady hatches a kind of revenge plan that both backfires and succeeds.

Crash Pad is a little something old and something new. Gleeson isn’t your typical lead but the way this movie plays out, he’s just the perfect conduit for the audience. And that’s the mix that makes Crash Pad something worth finding on Amazon or iTunes.

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‘The Walking Dead’s Cooper Andrews Joins Cast Of SHAZAM!

By

Jackson Hayes

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December 21, 2017

According to Deadline, The Walking Dead’s Cooper Andrews, who portrays fan favorite Jerry, has joined the cast of Warner Brothers Shazam!.

Andrews joined the cast of The Walking Dead in Season 7 as Jerry, a loyalist to the Kingdom, and confidant of King Ezekiel. Fans quickly began to take notice of the character’s positive attitude and fun antics. Andrews will continue to appear in the hit AMC series when Season 8 returns from its midseason break.

The announcement of Andrews’ casting comes as no surprise as the upcoming DC Films movie begins to round out its cast. Zachary Levi stars as the titular Shazam, while Asher Angel will portray the true identity of the hero, Billy Batson. The rest of the cast includes Jack Dylan Grazer, Grace Fulton, Ian Chen, Jovan Armand and David J. MacNeil. Mark Strong is also rumored to appear as Dr. Thaddeus Sivana.

It was also confirmed that Andrews will be playing a foster parent at the group home where Billy lives. It appears that he will have a close relationship to Billy, possibly being a sort of mentor.

Shazam! will be directed by David F. Sandberg (Annabelle Creation) and written by Henry Gayden and Darren Lemke.

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Review: The Future Tim Drake Corners The Boy Of Steel In SUPER SONS #11

By

Jose "Jody" Cardona

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This is the second issue of a crossover event. If you want to see the review for the first part, Superman #37, click here.

The first issue of this crossover was rough in terms of storytelling. The issue consisted of two fights that pitted a future version of Tim Drake (the third Robin, Future Batman) against Batman and Superman. While the flights were fun and illustrated well, it did not provide enough of background for new readers. With the adults now indisposed, future Tim Drake has nothing in his way to take down the Boy of Steel.

**Some Spoilers Below**

Story:

While Superboy teams up with the Teen Titans to take down a group of villains, the future Tim Drake watches from afar. He also takes advantage of their fight to hack into Titans Tower to set a trap. When Superboy and the Titans arrive, the trap is sprung and future Tim orders Raven, the team’s telepath, to look into his mind and reveal the future.

The reason that Tim came back to kill the Boy of Steel was that Jon would cause the deaths of millions. In the future, Jon Kent and Damian Wayne were at each other’s throats, which lead to a battle that caused Jon to LITERALLY explode over Metropolis.

This is the second issue of this crossover and this crucial part was just revealed. This revelation should have been seen in the first part of the crossover so we would better understand Future Tim’s motives. It could have just been a panel that ominously hinted at the future for our favorite Boy of Steel. This reveal changes the entire perspective of the Super Sons. What started as a fun light-hearted adventure has taken a dark turn… And I love it! This promises an entirely new dynamic for the duo and their loved ones. It’s a very nice twist to both Superboy and Damian.

That being said, the reveal could have come a bit sooner and could have expanded a little more. In this future, Damian and Jon come to blows, but we don’t learn why. All we know is that Damian becomes “unhinged,” which could be lies, considering Future Tim is equally as unhinged. By the end of the issue, we are left with more questions than answers. We still have two issues to go, so hopefully, we get answers instead of questions being swept under the rug.

Art:

The art in this comic doesn’t capture the dark undertones of this story. We learn that two of these kids will basically cause the death of millions, yet I can’t stop looking at the cartoonish expressions on the Titans. It also doesn’t help that the colors in the issue are so vibrant.

Sometimes the art does work in the comic’s favor, especially in the designs of the characters. One example, in particular, is a trio of characters from the future revealed at the end of the issue and they look amazing. It is able to amalgamate the character’s original costumes with that of the iconic heroes they’ve come to replace. The designs are slick and honestly feels like they’re drawn by an entirely different artist.

Conclusion:

This issue is a step in the right direction for this crossover. We have some cool action and an epic reveal, but in exchange are left with more questions than answers. With the exception of some of the future character designs, the art was too cartoonish to match the tones this story is going for. The pieces are in place and now we enter the battle for Superboy’s life.

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Review: The Hunt For The Super Sons Begin In SUPERMAN #37

By

Jose "Jody" Cardona

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There have been a few crossovers since the start of Rebirth. Some have been fun while some have fallen flat, with a variety of different characters throughout. Adding to the mix, we now have a crossover between Superman, Super Sons, and Teen Titans. While many know the Man of Steel and the Teen Titans, there might be some who don’t know of the Super Sons. The Sons are a duo that consist of Jon Kent, son of Clark Kent, and Damian Wayne, son of Bruce Wayne. The pair go on more strange, yet lighthearted adventures… Which brings up the question of why a Batman from another timeline is gunning for them?

**Some Spoilers Below**

Story:

The future Tim Drake has returned, now with a new mission in mind. For reasons unknown, he claims that he needs to kill Jon Kent and save the future. This leads to the Dark Knight from a dark future to come to blows with the modern Batman and Superman.

Whenever you ask a person why they don’t read comics, the usual response is the need to backtrack to previous issues to keep up. This is a prime example of this thinking. The setting, characters, and the overall plot is built from previous storylines with little explanation. The closest thing to an explanation we get is the text blocks from editors, pointing towards the storylines in question. Where did this Future Tim Drake come from and how does Batman know him? Go read Detective Comics. Why is the Fortress of Solitude a mess? Read Action Comics. Now while I may read those series, there might be people who aren’t willing to put in the extra cash.

If there is anything positive in this chapter, it is the action. The fight scenes in this issue are amazing and show how much of a threat Future Tim Drake has become. The fight with Batman allowed us to see Tim’s hand-to-hand combat while the fight with Superman showed his strategic skills. It is actually fun to see both fights unfold, but that is also the biggest problem in this issue. The entire contents of this issue are fight scenes. This should have been the set up for this crossover, but instead, we got large, albeit pretty neat, brawls.

Art:

While the “story” is lacking, the art is phenomenal. The pencil work shows the weight of every action in the fight. You can see the intensity every time Bruce takes a swing at Tim, drawing the reader into the fight.You see the intensity behind every blow and feel the emotions behind them.

The color work goes hand-in-hand with the pencils. The colors are vibrant enough to make the characters pop off the page, as well as compliment some of the technology Tim uses.

Conclusion:

Overall, while beautiful to look at, this was not a good opening. We barely get set up or explanation over why Future Tim is doing all of this. While the fights are fun to see, it does not make for a good story. Hopefully, the second chapter in Super Sons will progress the story a little better.

This story continues in Super Sons #11. You can find that review here.

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MoviePass Hits Million-Member Milestone

By

Kimberly Cook

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December 21, 2017

Movie theater subscription service MoviePass announced Wednesday that they have surpassed the one million paid membership mark. Ironically, I purchased mine yesterday morning. Was I the 1,000,000th customer? Sorry, but there was no fanfare when I hit “submit.”

MoviePass is a paid subscription service that allows users to purchase a single movie ticket per day for a flat fee paid monthly. The service used a mobile app in conjunction with a MasterCard prepaid debit card to purchase the tickets from a box office or kiosk. The fee is $9.95 per month, and there are currently over 4,000 theaters that accept MoviePass. There are no blackout days, but the service is limited to only 2D regular showings. IMAX and 3D screenings are not offered with the service.

The service originated in 2011, but it was based on a voucher system with a limited number of theaters. Customers found this cumbersome. So, MoviePass was revamped the next year to include the app and card system being used today. However, it was expensive, and participation was low.

In 2016, MoviePass hired former Netflix and Redbox executive Mike Lowe as their new CEO. He tinkered with the subscription options, but, still, prices were high, and membership wasn’t.

In August 2017, MoviePass announced the current service at $9.95 per month, and membership skyrocketed. By September, membership stood at 400,000, and by October, they hit 600,000 paid subscribers. They announced on Wednesday morning they have surpassed number 1,000,000.

According to Deadline, they have reached this feat far faster than other subscription services, including Netflix, Hulu, and Spotify. “We are excited and proud to have reached the one millionth subscriber level in such a short time while still early in the consumer adoption curve,” Lowe said in a statement. “Our focus on creating the best movie theater subscription service experience for our subscribers has propelled our growth to date. We believe that growth will continue as we further develop our application, improve customer service, enhance exhibitor relations and fill movie theater seats for incredible films to be released in the future.”

Do you subscribe to MoviePass? How has your experience with been?

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Writing

Art

Conclusion

“I’m a 29-year-old, unemployed, diamond in the rough with no foreseeable opportunities for financial or personal success until my death.” – Stensland

“My receptionist was listening in when I threatened you which means I’d have to kill her as well. And no way I’m breaking in a new receptionist. No, sir.” – Grady

Story:

Art:

Conclusion:

Story:

Art:

Conclusion:

“My receptionist was listening in when I threatened you which
means I’d have to kill her as well. And no way I’m breaking in a new receptionist. No, sir.” – Grady