Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, Martin McDonagh’s new examination of misery cloaked in gallows humor, is his biggest, most ambitious picture yet. The cast is more expansive, more noteworthy from top to bottom, and the story itself is rich with plot and characterization. It is quite a ride, even if it may not know exactly how to end.
There are a handful of great performances in Three Billboards, central of whom is Frances McDormand’s grieving mother, Mildred, a woman whose face has practically petrified into a fixed scowl of anger and resentment in recent years. Mildred is grieving the loss of her teenage daughter, who was murdered seven months prior. It’s best not to say the nature of the crime, because it’s a key description on one of the three billboards she purchases on a country road to call out the local Ebbing Police Department for their lack of an investigation.
The billboards are painted up nice, bright red, well lit, and ruffle plenty of feathers in town. Sam Rockwell plays officer Dixon, a volatile combination of dangerous and stupid, and he is the first to stumble upon these billboards, which are revealed in just about the best way imaginable. The Sheriff is Willoughby, played with earnestness by Woody Harrelson. Willoughby’s objections to the billboard have less to do with their message – in fact he might very well agree with Mildred that not enough has been done – and more to do with the fact they’re just kind of making his life hell and interrupting dinner with his family.
There is more to Willoughby than this, of course, just like there are layers upon layers of all the central characters in Three Billboards. McDonagh, who also wrote the screenplay (which might be a bigger achievement giving the moving parts of the narrative), loves his characters, no matter how flawed or stupid or untoward, and he finds different ways to send our main players through there own complete arcs without shortchanging one or the other. It is an impressive balancing act.
McDormand deserves all the credit she’s been getting thus far; she is the female protagonist Hollywood needs to embrace right now, a woman who has a plan and politely listens to all the men in her world telling her that her plan is wrong before completely upending their critique. There might be no better example of this than her dressing down of a critical priest sitting in her kitchen near the beginning of the movie. Her speech is an all timer. That being said, let’s not forget Sam Rockwell.
As Dixon, Sam Rockwell is saddled with what might be the toughest job in the cast. While he’s often the target of insults and comic relief, Rockwell’s character is mean, hateful, he’s an idiot with a gun, and his volatility immediately creates tension whenever he shows up. The danger of Dixon always lurks there, and in the middle of the film a series of events lead to an explosion of violence we could all see coming a mile away.
Three Billboards balances dozens of plates in the air at times, but for the most part it’s both necessary and welcome. We love these flawed human beings in this bitter world where, even in a room full of violence, love manages to sneak in through the side door. McDonagh’s screenplay is loaded with looks and language that add immediacy, but somehow things carry on a bit too long. The story ends not with a bang, but a whimper. Part of that is acceptable, and even admirable, but as far as the structure and rhythm of the film itself is concerned, the finale feels aimless.
No matter who sort of flaws may scatter across a Martin McDonagh picture, his ability to create full characters goes miles in masking said flaws. He created wonderful characters in In Bruges, Seven Psychopaths, and he’s done it here. They aren’t always the best people to be friends with, but we sure don’t mind watching them from afar.
It’s time to return to the burning planet of Apokolips and check on the Superfamily. After Lex Luthor was kidnapped by the people of Apokolips, Superman, Lois and their son Jon are transported to the planet as well. When the Kents arrived, they were scattered all across Apokolips. Lois found herself enslaved, then recruited as a Female Fury. Jon was getting chased down by Hunger Dogs. Then finally Lex presents Superman to the people of Apokolips as their new savior.
I have been pretty critical of this story so far. It mostly stems from the characters making decisions they wouldn’t normally make. We have now reached the halfway point and with the exception of some cool action sequences, this story has accomplished nothing. Will it turn around now?
**SOME SPOILERS BELOW**
Story:
Despite having Jon on the cover, we actually follow Superman and Lex as they try and escape the Apokoliptians. This is actually a fun team-up reminiscent of the beginning of the story. Seeing the two work together to escape shows off what makes each of the characters’ skills. This also leads to Lex trying to convince Superman to be the hope for Apokolips as prophesied in Darkseid War.
The plot development here is great but leaves me questioning why it wasn’t in the last issue. We are on the verge of an Apokolips civil war, but only have one issue of this story left. How amazing would this story have been if we watched the Kents dragged into this war and grew over the storyline? Instead, we are left with a rapid-fire version of that, with the actual reveal of a civil war in the penultimate issue.
We do actually have some story with Jon as well, though it does fall flat. He takes down some abusive Hunger Dog owners, earning the respect of the hounds. While it’s good to have an anti-animal abuse message, I doubt that the Hunger Dogs would have been that open to him. Also, despite the description of the issue saying Steppenwolf was supposed to be the one challenging Jon, but instead we get a couple of nobodies. Considering his role in the Justice League movie, one would expect him to show up.
Art:
I’m in the middle when it comes to the art. It is drawn well, but again there are times that have awkward facial expressions. While it’s not unnatural like the first issue, there are times where Apokoliptians don’t look monstrous in some scenes where the humans don’t look human in others.
Despite the awkward expressions, there are fantastically drawn scenes of action that bring the quality back up. Jon riding on the leading a pack of Hunger Dogs is the most amazing thing I have ever seen the character do. It’s etched into my brain due to how well it was drawn.
Conclusion:
While a step up in terms of story, this issue falls just short of being great. While I enjoyed the story of Lex and Superman, the Jon plot does not feel thought out. The art swings back and forth in terms of quality, but has enough for the action scenes to be enjoyable. We have one more issue of the arc, but I doubt it will send the story to the top at this point.
At long last, Disney/Pixar is releasing a trailer for The Incredibles 2.
The first official teaser trailer will debut Saturday during ESPN’s College GameDay.
In addition to the announcement, Pixar shared a short video on Twitter.
“Something incredible is coming,” read the teaser, with a simple caption of “tomorrow.”
You can watch the teaser below.
The trailer is slated to premiere along with Coco, which arrives in theaters on November 22.
The Incredibles 2 is perhaps the most eagerly-anticipated Pixar film. The original film premiered in 2004.
The first footage of the upcoming film debuted at Disney’s D23 Expo earlier this year.
Director Brad Bird, who returns to the franchise, shared part of the storyline at the event.
“Elastigirl and a certain chain of events put her at the forefront of the action, while Bob has to stay home facing his biggest challenge yet,” Bird said.
He added that the family will also learn about Jack-Jack’s powers.
Craig T. Nelson, Samuel L. Jackson, and Holly Hunter reprise their voice roles from the first film.
If you thought Frank Castle was badass in Daredevil, just wait ‘till you finish the first episode of The Punisher.
Titled “3AM”, the introductory episode packs an incredibly emotional punch, whilst also giving audiences plenty of action and story. Right off the bat, it’s clear what the pilot is doing: letting audiences know exactly who Castle is. He’s a broken man, and although he can be cold at times, it’s always warranted.
The episode starts with flashbacks of Castle taking out the people who killed his family. The action is spectacular. It’s gruesome, bloody, and everything you’d want from a Punisher show.
We then pick up 6 months later. Castle has changed his name to Pete and is working a dead end construction job. Day in and day out, Castle hits the same wall with the same hammer. It’s never explained why he exactly does this, but audiences can infer that it’s to let his aggression out. Occasionally, as he’s breaking down the wall, he sees flashbacks and memories of his now-dead family, further emphasizing the point of just how broken this man is. A new worker is introduced to the team, and tries to make friends with Castle. Without spoilers, I’ll say this. Pay very close attention to the new hire, as he plays a big part in the end. Truly, that’s all I can say regarding plot without spoiling aspects of the episode.
“3AM” is undoubtedly one of the best single episodes of a Marvel television show ever. It’s heart wrenching, and packs an emotional punch I wasn’t expecting. Jon Bernthal IS Frank Castle, and gives a performance filled with nuance and subtlety. Though Castle is a cold, broken man, he still has heart, he still has empathy, and that’s what makes the character special. He’ll do what needs to be done, but he’ll never initiate aggression without a reason. Castle sticks to what he believes in, and Bernthal plays the part absolutely perfect.
The supporting characters we meet in “3AM” are pretty interesting. The majority are fellow construction workers, however, audiences are also introduced to some investigators that will likely play a plot in the season down the line. People with power within a company are onto Frank Castle, which seems to be setting up the season’s arc.
A crucial moment in the episode is when Castle visits a Lieutenant he knew from the military. Their conversation only lasts a minute or two, but it shows a side of Castle audiences have not seen before. He’s in the process of healing, albeit slow. But any progress is good progress. Given that we’ve only seen Castle in a state of depression, it’s great to see the character attempting to cope with his unfortunate life circumstances.
“3AM” is a spectacular start to the season. It’s filled with extremely promising elements, and paired with killer performances all around and a plot that is already developing, we have a show that has potential to be the best Marvel/Netflix program ever.
As we enter a new era of Marvel Comics, I’ll be providing a weekly report on all Legacy titles. Your one-stop guide to what’s going on in the 616 universe from MFR’s resident Marvel fan. Above you’ll see Marvel Legacy’s report card for the week, then below we’ll dive into each book. Let’s dig in!
Also, check out our coverage from the previous weeks!
The first Legacy X-Men crossover comes to an end. It may have dragged on an issue longer than it needed, but it wraps up nicely. Cullen Bunn slaps a classic open-ended conclusion onto the finale.
Mojo finds himself trapped in the 616, but with his own broadcasting network. I hope he becomes a constant feature of future comics, rambling nonsense on tv screens in the background.
Seeing a massive collection of X-Men rip through waves of enemies never stopped entertaining. Jorge Molina’s art was consistently big and explosive throughout this whole crossover.
Aside from the handful of panels with Jean and Kitty’s bulging anime eyes, this is another solid effort. Matt Milla’s color is stunning as always, he makes every page ooze into your brain.
Now that the dust is settling, Kitty dismantles the Blue team’s standing with Magneto. “Mojo Worldwide” might not have been a masterpiece, but both Blue and Gold are going to be stronger books coming out of it. It’s exciting to be an X-Men fan again.
—
The Punisher #218 “Punisher: War Machine” Part One
The least expected consequence of S.H.I.E.L.D. dissolving comes in the form of Nick Fury Jr. enlisting and supplying Frank Castle. Without a major organization and agents to utilize, The Punisher is the only man for the job, he just needs to exploit the little bit of heart left in the man.
Matthew Rosenberg’s script and dialogue is very blunt, Frank’s recruitment conversation is stern and convincing. Getting Frank to begrudgingly play “spy” for a while, in his own bloody way, is a delightful change of pace. It certainly helps get the bad taste of our mouths of his Hydra employment from Secret Empire. I really like Frank being painted as a “crazy homeless vet” who lives in a van full of guns.
This is a surprisingly colorful book through explosions, light, and blood splatter. The use of shades during Frank and Nick’s poorly lit conversation makes what could have been a stiff couple of pages into a pleasing visual.
My biggest issue with the art is Frank looking exactly like Jon Bernthal. We should be past the point where artists try to emulate the film versions of these characters, and not the other way around. When the War Machine suit gets its big reveal page, it looks god awful. Iron Manatee hopefully gets a makeover when Frank slaps a skull on the front of it.
—
Secret Warriors #8 “Vs. Mister Sinister” Part One
Secret Warriors is the quieter hit among the resurgent crop of Inhuman comics. The extremely likable cast of younger heroes uncovers a twisted plot by classic X-Men villains Mr. Sinister and Dark Beast.
Matthew Rosenberg utilizes the strength of each character’s personality and plays the team member off of each other in a fun and natural way. Despite Moon Girl being the only actual kid, there’s a touch of Paper Girls and Stranger Things as the team tries to solve a Scooby-Doo superhero mystery.
Javier Garrón and Will Robson use a cartoony style to tell this story, which even further illustrates the youthful sentiment. This particular approach works well for characters and their reactions, as well as the action scenes. For other characters, like Karnak, it doesn’t translate as well.
—
Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man #297 “Most Wanted” Part One
Zdarsky’s Spidey took a couple issues to grow on me. The first handful were like the first season of The Office or Parks & Rec, trying to find the right voice and seeing what works. The last two issues have been stellar and Spectacular Spidey #297 continues the trend.
Pete’s relationship with J. Jonah Jameson evolves and becomes the center of this story. Chip Zdarsky has a particularly great voice for JJJ. He’s also figured out his voice for Peter as well, he no longer sounds like he’s being written by Deadpool.
The sticky situation Pete finds himself in gives us a pulse-pounding action sequence where he has to escape a Spec-Ops team as Peter Parker. He navigates his way through danger in inventive ways without his spider-sense, and without being able to use his strength until he finds a way to his costume.
Adam Kubert’s art has fluctuated from issue to issue. It’s more good than bad in it’s first Legacy issue. A lot of the effective drama during the escape sequence is due to his pencils. The biggest problem with the art is on the cover. Why is Spidey still sporting the “web leggings” on the cover? The costume changed months ago.
This is turning out to be a solid Spidey book after all. Zdarsky has a handle on both Peter Parker and his wall-crawler alter-ego. Spectacular Spider-Man enters Marvel Legacy with an exciting story putting Pete in a really rough spot, but he has his new BFF, JJJ. Their relationship is the core right now, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
—
Not Brand Echh #14 “Forbush Man Returns” Part One Of One
A handful of Marvel creators take the time to poke fun at themselves and their employer. Addressing fan overreactions to Secret Empire, variant covers, shipping delays, and over saturation of Gwens, they’re not all winners.
The Deadpool BTS look at Marvel, Squirrel Girl’s dating service for villains, and the final page by Zdarsky are the best of the bunch. I appreciate Marvel publishing a self-deprecating comic book, but they know it’ll fall on deaf ears for the most part. It even says at the end that comedy anthologies never sell.
There’s fun to be had in Not Brand Echh, especially if you’re one of the internet critics who always have it out for Marvel. Some of the bits you’ll spend time trying to decipher whether or not they’re being sincere or merely attempting to control the narrative. “Outdating the outrage” for those of you keeping up with EA’s Battlefront II controversy.
I don’t think anyone was expecting this to be a bombshell. Even so, it feels like more of a wasted opportunity for Marvel to earn some trust back with those who have abandoned the publisher. Either way, there are some good chuckles in here.
—
The Mighty Thor #701 “The Death Of The Mighty Thor” Part Two
Jason Aaron’s monumental Thor run continues, we approach the apparent end of Jane Foster’s tenure. After the gigantic 700th issue, this is more of a calm before the storm. A calm that is covered in blood and debris.
Malekith has been a constant thorn in the side of Asgardia throughout this entire run by Aaron. Whether he’s been front and center, or on the outskirts playing his hand from the shadows, Malekith is arguably Thor’s most lethal enemy.
James Harren comes in on pencils and does a fine job, War Thor’s battle with Mangog is brutal and massive. Outside of his bright red hands looking like baboon butts, the god killer is an effectively menacing threat.
It’s tough to follow the gigantic masterpiece that was The Mighty Thor #700, but this certainly keeps the ball rolling. This issue is all about setting the stage for Jane’s big finale. Jason Aaron keeps adding to his solidified status as one of the all-time great Thor scribes.
—
The Incredible Hulk #710 “Return To Planet Hulk” Part Two
On a planet full of monsters, Amadeus Cho is having a hard time keeping the Hulk in check as he fights to survive. Taking Cho out of his comfort zone, and stripping scientific solutions to his current problems, is forcing him to grow and face new challenges.
He’s more like Banner than ever before, facing a similar Sakaarian gauntlet and struggling with his rage monster. Greg Pak also isn’t just telling the same story with a new face plastered over top. This is uncharted territory for Amadeus, he’s going to come out the other end of this story altered.
The peripheral characters and plot is hard to follow. It’s tough to differentiate factions and motivations despite a valiant effort by Greg Land and Frank D’ Armata. The Mad Max landscape with a heavy shade of gamma is tastefully portrayed. So far, this return to Sakaar has been mostly a blast.
—
Guardians Of The Galaxy #147 “Infinity Quest” Part Two
Gerry Duggan, Marcus To, and Ian Herring keep the cosmic train rolling. With the Guardians undercover as Nova Corps to sniff out spies, we get a healthy dose of space cop action from all sides. Rocket is utilizing his investigator role to squeeze connections out of shady Corpsmen while Ant-Man and Gamora get more acquainted.
The cosmic bromance reunion of the century steals the show. Star-Lord and Rich Rider reunited for the first time since the Thanos imperative and it feels so good. Nova’s return to prominence should play a huge factor in restoring cosmic Marvel to its former glory. Rider and Quill teaming up is something we’ve dearly missed.
Duggan and company continue to repopulate and prioritize the outer space of the 616 universe. The quest for infinity stones has barely begun, but already this feels like we’re scratching the surface of a classic Marvel space epic. Duggan also introduced a twist on the infinity stone discovered this issue, which is the first of its kind.
—
Doctor Strange #381 “Loki: Sorcerer Supreme” Part One
Donny Cates is one of the most exciting writers right now, he’s been absolutely on fire. He comes to Marvel after delivering hits like God Country, Rednecks, and Baby Teeth all within the last year. With the Bendis departure leaving a major vacancy and shift in Marvel, Cates should be one of the future superstars we see a lot more of.
He’s teamed up with Vision artist, Gabriel Hernandez Walter, for Doctor Strange and it couldn’t be a more perfect pairing. The two of them can take us on a deep dive into the weird while maintaining leveled sense of seriousness, and boy does it look good.
The dark and delicate art style illustrates a serious tone immersed in a world of utter silliness, which is perfect for a Doctor Strange book. The final page, with Stephen standing there brooding next to a talking dog after being called “Dr. Doolittle” hammers home the tone to expect going forward.
Cates playing around with Asgardian dialect is fantastic. He wields it differently than Jason Aaron, but doesn’t disrespect or misuse it. “Does thou ever tire of thine own bullshit?” might be one of the best lines from Thor in recent memory.
Loki being the Sorcerer Supreme is a bold decision, one that pays off immediately. This is a perfect jumping on point for new readers, without losing those of us who have been following along since Aaron’s run. This could easily become a new dream team for Marvel with Cates, Walter, and Bellaire doing top-notch work.
—
The Defenders #7 “Kingpins Of New York” Part Two
Finding out this series will end at #10 with Bendis departing Marvel is a travesty. Defenders is easily one of the best superhero books on the shelves these days from top to bottom. Losing it will be the harshest blow dealt to Marvel fans as far as Bendis goes.
David Marquez and his color duo have been untouchable. Every panel, page, and layout is extraordinary. The fight between Iron Fist and Elektra is absolutely stunning. Even Daredevil’s interrogation of Elektra is spread out over a gorgeous and massive layout.
Every bit of this team’s dynamic is refreshing, Bendis plays the right angles and holds the right cards. He even utilizes Deadpool perfectly, which isn’t always the case with him showing up in almost every other Marvel comic. This is easily the best superhero team in comic books right now.
It will be a sad day when this book is done way too early. It’s a masterpiece in every way. It doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but it certainly reminds everyone the potential there is in what these books are capable of being. If Bendis leaving marks the end of this title, at least keep this art team together for another book.
—
Ben Reilly: The Scarlet Spider #10 “The Slingers Return” Part One
Scarlet Spidey’s Legacy debut seemingly drops you in the middle of a story, unless you’ve been reading the series. It’s not the best jumping on point. Much of it’s significance is also likely to be lost on people that aren’t so well versed on 90s Spider-Man continuity.
That being said, Peter David, Will Sliney, and Rachelle Rosenberg reunite and you’ve got yourself another solid Spidey book. The trio worked together on the criminally underrated Spider-Man 2099 series.
The Marvel Legacy bump was a drastic improvement on what this series started as. Spinning out of Clone Conspiracy, the adventures of Ben Reilly were an awful mess for the first few issues. Now that David is having more fun playing with Spider-Man’s history, this title feels more like both Spider-Man 2099 and the Scarlet Spider book starring Kaine from years ago.
In a world littered with too many Spider-People comics, this one stakes a claim on relevance. Peter David and company take advantage of the Legacy bump, even if it’s not the easiest story to jump into.
—
Amazing Spider-Man #791 “Fall Of Parker” Part Three
Amazing Spider-Man‘s start to Legacy has been strong, the trend continues here. There’s been overarching stories throughout, but the focus up front has been introduced and resolved in each issue. It’s a refreshing change of pace for both Slott and the series not being a five or six issue arc.
Peter and Bobbi’s relationship, both in and out of costume, is really starting to take shape. They provide a great balance to one another, especially given Parker’s current financial situation. Mockingbird is quite possibly the best romantic interest Spidey has had throughout all of Dan Slott’s run.
Stuart Immonen is one of the best modern Spidey artists, Rain Beredo’s color and Wade Von Grawbadger’s ink sync perfectly and turn in another beautiful looking issue. There’s a wide range of facial expressions that Immonen seems to never run out of.
The fallout from Parker Industries has been everything it needed to be so far to turn the book around for people on both sides of the fence. Like Pete says at the end of the issue, this feels like home. Slott is delivering on both sides of the mask for our favorite wall crawler.
—
Champions #14 “Worlds Collide” Part Four
This crossover is easily the strongest story the Champions have been apart of. There’s major implications and consequences for the characters as they try to stop an “extinction level experiment.”
Viv Vision and her father’s relationship was already one of the most compelling elements. High Evolutionary transforming her into flesh and blood is fantastic. Their family dynamic takes on a whole different look. I’m excited to see what Mark Waid does with her exploration of emotions and how Vision attempts to assist in the growing pains.
Humberto Ramos is delivering his best superhero pages since his Spider-Man work. He absolutely nailed the transition to human form with Vivian. The whole cast looks spectacular but most importantly the teens look like teens.
It remains to be seen how strong both of these titles are away from each other, but so far this crossover has more than delivered for both teams. Four issues in and it’s avoided dragging its feet, instead it’s getting better the more it unfolds.
—
What were your favorites from this week of Marvel Legacy? Be sure to check back next week for another healthy installment of Marvel Legacy Report!
If you thought that the non-stop tension of last week’s episode of Mr. Robot meant that things would calm down this week, then “eps3.5_kill-process.inc” should serve as a reminder that when you think you’re in control of things, you should probably think again. The following contains spoilers, so beware.
See You In Another Life!
The episode takes us back in time for a party…of sorts. What we’re looking at is a living funeral for Emily Moss (Angela’s mother), who has decided to discontinue the treatments for her cancer. A young Angela is reluctant to talk to her mother and needs some coaxing from Mr. Alderson (before he too died of cancer caused by E-Corp and came back as Mr. Robot) to be brave and talk to her mother. He also asks that if Elliot ever needs a push and he’s not there, that Angela be the one to push him.
Antara Nayar (the lawyer Angela worked with against E-Corp before taking a job there) tells Emily that an anonymous benefactor has offered to pay for Emily’s treatment, but Emily refuses. When Angela finally comes over, her mother tells her that she doesn’t believe that this is the end. She believes that they will be together again in another world and asks Angela to believe with her. Is this other world the afterlife, or does Emily know something about the plans White Rose discussed with Angela? We’ll have to wait to find out as we shift to the present (or the show’s present, 2015).
“You Sound Like Him”
Elliot confronts Angela about Phase Two and her working with White Rose. How can she go along with the plan, knowing that it will mean that hundreds of people working in the building will be killed when it explodes? Angela is not just following Mr. Alderson’s advice in pushing Elliot, though. She seems to believe that White Rose has a way to undo all of this; from the pending explosions back through the death of their parents. Elliot doesn’t share her faith in White Rose, whom he calls a terrorist, and so he goes to stop the explosion himself.
But doing something yourself isn’t easy when ‘yourself’ is multiple people. The Elliot and Mr. Robot sides of his brain duke it out first figuratively, then literally, in another scene reminiscent of the show’s spiritual parent, Fight Club. Mr. Robot throws Elliot/himself down stairs and into walls in an effort to thwart him. Eventually, Elliot gains the upper hand, convincing Mr. Robot that there is no reason to let people get killed by the explosion when it won’t even destroy the physical records. They have been rerouted back to various locations throughout the country.
“It’s Not Going To Work Out The Way We Discussed It”
How do you tell someone that the trip to the Ukraine they were planning on taking with their wife and child isn’t going to happen because you’ve been keeping the fact that their wife was murdered a secret? If you’re Irving and the someone is Tyrell Wellick, you tell them with a letter and make sure you’re not in the room when they read it. Assuming that is what the letter says, Wellick reacts by lighting it on fire and escaping through an underground tunnel.
When Darlene lets FBI agents Dom and Norm know where Tyrell Wellick is, they are hot to go after him, but Agent Santiago (whom we know is working with the Dark Army) refuses to let them move, claiming that the information is potentially unreliable. Dom, not one to give up, decides to go “get some lunch” at the location, which happens to be a Red Wheelbarrow BBQ. While (not officially) investigating, she sees the smoke from Tyrell’s fire and ventures down into the catacombs in a chilling scene that looks like something out of The Silence of the Lambs. What she finds is…nothing. Wellick has already fled. After getting lightly (given that she disobeyed a direct order) chewed out by Santiago, she goes to a food truck (poor Dom never got her BBQ) and that’s when she hears a commotion. Someone has been arrested out on the street and that someone is none other than Tyrell Wellick. Sometimes when you think all is lost, the universe has a way of giving you what you were looking for.
The Agony of Defeat
Unfortunately for Elliot, the opposite can also hold true. In sports, every huge comeback requires an equally huge collapse by the other team. Just when Elliot thought that he had everything under control, he sees the tear-stricken faces of people outside all looking at the same thing on their phones. He gets to a window display TV and sees that 71 E-Corp locations (with all the physical files) have been bombed by terrorists. His efforts to stop Phase Two have been rendered meaningless by White Rose and the Dark Army.
Lingering Questions:
Why does China want to annex the Congo? My best guess is they probably have some large deposit of a rare mineral needed for White Rose’s machine.
Who was Emily Moss’s anonymous benefactor? Could it be Philip Price? Or possibly White Rose herself?
What did the letter to Tyrell say? What were the handcuffs for? Did White Rose think that he would burn himself alive? If you have a theory, let me know in the comments.
What is in the Red Wheelbarrow bag from the last episode? It must be important since Angela refused to give it up to an armed robber on the train.
Some of our favorite ‘Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope‘ movie moments are getting the FunkoPOP! treatment with the launch of four sets. Each set will only be available as Walmart Exclusives, will feature two Star Wars characters per box and retail for roughly $24. All sets will launch at both your local Walmart and via walmart.com on Saturday, November 18, 2017.
POP! Star Wars: Movie Moments – “Trash Compactor Escape (Luke & Leia)”
This scene is ripped straight from the Princess Leia rescue sequence, where Han Solo and Luke Skywalker, both disguised as Stormtroopers, along with Chewbacca, raid an Imperial Detention Center to complete the mission. The only con we have about this set, it’s missing both Han and Chewie! We would’ve liked to have seen this as a bigger set including all four characters.
POP! Star Wars: Movie Moments – “Escape Pod Landing (R2D2 & C-3PO)”
This set snapshots the scene shortly after the escape pod containing both R2D2 and C-3PO crash lands on Tatooine. After an argument between the two, they split up and R2 is captured by Jawas!
POP! Star Wars: Movie Moments – “Cantina Faceoff (Han Solo & Greedo)”
Ah, you can hear the Cantina jam right now in the background as your read this. The scene is awesome because there are so many different creatures in bar from all over the galaxy. This is also where Luke first meets Han, proceeded by one of the most-iconic scenes in Star Wars history, where Han is confronted by an intergalactic bounty hunter named Greedo, where we all scream, “Han shot first!”
POP! Star Wars: Movie Moments – “Death Star Duel (Darth Vader & Obi Wan)”
An iconic scene from ‘A New Hope’ where we lose our first big-name character. Obi Wan falls to Darth Vader in a lightsaber duel between the Jedi Master and his past pupil. We can still hear Luke scream, “NO!” before escaping on the Millennium Falcon with the rest of the gang.
The Empire Strikes Back: Jedi Training (Luke & Yoda), The First Kiss (Han Solo & Leia), I Am Your Father (Darth Vader & Luke) and Cloud City (Han & Boba Fett).
Return of the Jedi: Exchange (Luke & Jabba the Hutt), Reunion (Han & Leia), Furry Friends (Ewoks & Chewbacca) and Redemption (Lando & C-3PO).
The moral of the story is: Run, don’t walk, to your local Walmart, to get these sets!
Primatologist Davis Okoye (Dwayne Johnson), a man who keeps people at a distance, shares an unshakable bond with George, the extraordinarily intelligent, silverback gorilla who has been in his care since birth. But a rogue genetic experiment gone awry mutates this gentle ape into a raging creature of enormous size. To make matters worse, it’s soon discovered there are other similarly altered animals. As these newly created alpha predators tear across North America, destroying everything in their path, Okoye teams with a discredited genetic engineer to secure an antidote, fighting his way through an ever-changing battlefield, not only to halt a global catastrophe but to save the fearsome creature that was once his friend.
Rampage is absolutely bonkers, which is perfect. The film looks like San Andreas, except this time we’re seeing The Rock take on some giant animals, rather than a massive earthquake. I’m all for it.
Joining Johnson in Rampage is Naomie Harris, Malin Akerman, Jake Lacy, Joe Manganiello, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, P.J. Byrne, Marley Shelton, Breanne Hill, Jack Quaid, and Matt Gerald.
The Strangers was a fantastic home invasion horror back in 2008. Liv Tyler and Scott Speedman played a young couple terrorized by masked, basically silent murderers. It was a great exercise in atmosphere and chilling inevitability. The Strangers: Prey at Night is the sequel we never knew we wanted.
The world in this sequel looks to be more open, less claustrophobic, and I’m not sure if that’s the best thing. See for yourself:
A chunk this takes place in a mobile home park, which would explain the pool scene and the more expansive story. Hopefully it doesn’t veer into Jason Voorhees territory with the camp-like setup. The single-setting home was, of course, one of the best parts of the first film; this sequel appears to be doing what so many sequels do – going bigger – so we’ll see if that pays off.
Director Brian Bertino is back as the screenwriter, and 47 Meters Down director Johannes Roberts is taking the reins. This sounds okay with me.
The Strangers: Prey At Night stars an understandable list of unknowns, except Christina Hendricks who’s the headliner. It opens March 9.
Emily Blunt is steadily becoming one of the go-to queens for genre films, and in this terrifying new trailer for A Quiet Place, she’s bringing her hubby John Kraskinski along for what looks like a harrowing ride.
All you need to know as far as synopsis is concerned is right there in the tag line: “If They Can’t Hear You, They Can’t Hunt You.”
Check this out:
It’s a terrific, simple concept, and it looks like brilliant execution. Being forced to be silent is an incredible mental exercise, and obviously it proves to be impossible no matter how hard you might try.
Not only is John Kraskinski playing close to the vest as Blunt’s husband in A Quiet Place, he’s also directing. This looks like it could be a fantastically tense horror film. Or, maybe it’s 2018’s version of It Comes at Night, which will ruffle some feathers for sure.
Despite the awkward expressions, there are fantastically drawn scenes of action that bring the quality back up. Jon riding on the leading a pack of Hunger Dogs is the most amazing thing I have ever seen the character do. It’s etched into my brain due to how well it was drawn.
